One of our graduates and current grad student in the MS in Applied Science Education program, Matt Zimmer, was recently honored by the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) with one of the Michigan’s Best Awards for Education Excellence. Matt graduated from Michigan Tech in 1999 with a BS in Civil Engineering. He returned to Tech to get his teaching certification in science, mathematics, and technology & design in 2003.
Matt Zimmer and co-Coordinator William Rivest were recognized for their program “Student Organization of Aquatic Robotics (SOAR),” which was selected for an award in the Community Engagement category of the 2013 Education Excellence Award. The program was introduced to the Dollar Bay High School and Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Schools. SOAR designed, built and programmed two remotely operated vehicles to be used by Isle Royale National Park rangers to gather data on invasive zebra mussels. The project provided students with real world applications of math, science and engineering.
In addition to being honored as an Education Excellence winner in the spring, each winner received the coveted “Eddy” statue and a check for $2,500 from SET SEG School Insurance Specialists, exclusive sponsor of MASB’s Education Excellence awards program.
SOAR also earned the national George & Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Youth Group in 2012. They were interviewed by WTIP 90.7 FM and Upper Michigan’s Source.
Learn more about SOAR and other award winning educational projects at the MASB website.
Students win national award for volunteering
Twenty-five students make up the Student Organization of Aquatic Robotics, or SOAR, and have been awarded the national Hartzog Award for volunteer service.
Read more at Upper Michigan’s Soruce, by Sarah Blakely.
Students win award for underwater robot
“I think it’s absolutely phenomenal, and then the fact that they’re designing these things, not just to win a competition, but they’re designing them to help other people, is truly a testament to their will and drive to improve and make the community that they live in better,” said Matt Zimmer, teacher.
Read more at Upper Michigan’s Source, by Gabrielle Mays.
