{"id":202,"date":"2015-10-08T16:03:19","date_gmt":"2015-10-08T16:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/?p=202"},"modified":"2018-07-13T17:38:57","modified_gmt":"2018-07-13T17:38:57","slug":"head-of-the-class-uri-graduates-first-noyce-teacher-scholar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/2015\/10\/08\/head-of-the-class-uri-graduates-first-noyce-teacher-scholar\/","title":{"rendered":"URI graduates first Noyce teacher scholar, Sarah Zawatsky"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sarah Zawatsky will teach science at Woonsocket charter school<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Media Contact: Elizabeth Rau<\/a>, 401-874-2116<\/p>\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 May 29, 2015 \u2013 Sarah Zawatsky just left the classroom, but can’t wait to get back in.<\/p>\n

This fall, the University of Rhode Island graduate will start a new job as a science teacher at a charter school in the working-class city of Woonsocket. And that\u2019s exactly what she wants.
\n\"\"
\nThis fall, the University of Rhode Island graduate will start a new job as a science teacher at a charter school in the working-class city of Woonsocket. And that\u2019s exactly what she wants.<\/p>\n

Her success at URI \u2013 she graduated in May with degrees in education and biology \u2013 is linked to a federal scholarship for students who want to study education, as well as science or math. After graduation, they agree to work in an urban school.<\/p>\n

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship was funded by a $1.2 million grant URI received from the National Science Foundation in 2013. Zawatsky is the first Noyce scholar to graduate from the University.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very proud of her,\u2019\u2019 says Anne M. Seitsinger, interim associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Human Science and Services. \u201cShe is deeply committed to teaching students in urban areas. The Noyce scholarship made it possible for her to pursue her dream.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

The Noyce grant is a win for the University \u2013 and the future of science and math in Rhode Island. Math and science teachers are desperately needed in schools today to prepare young people for a labor market dominated by jobs in science and technology. The scholarships inspire students like Zawatsky to study science and math in college \u2013 and teach in those fields after graduation.<\/p>\n

Zawatsky\u2019s love of science took root as a kid. While other girls were playing with dolls, she was digging for worms in the backyard of her East Providence house. She loved walking in the woods, looking at the veins of leaves through the sunlight. Her mother, Jennifer, taught her how to sow seeds, recognize bird song and appreciate the beauty of nature.<\/p>\n

At 16, Zawatsky knew she wanted to teach to get others charged up about science and give back to the community. After graduating from East Providence High School, she enrolled at URI, her first choice. She applied for the Noyce scholarship her junior year, receiving $10,000 and another $10,000 her senior year.<\/p>\n

Student teaching, she says, was a great experience \u2013 at Nathaniel Greene Middle School and Classical High School, both public schools in Providence. She taught life science and biology. The classroom teacher was present, but Zawatsky was in charge.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudent teaching is stressful, and sometimes heartbreaking, but it\u2019s a big growth experience,\u2019\u2019 she says. \u201cYou learn to forgive. It\u2019s rewarding to see the students evolve.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

With a 3.6 grade-point-average and excellent recommendations, she landed a job teaching middle school science at Founders Academy, part of Beacon Charter High School of the Arts, a place where she can also pursue her love of photography. She\u2019ll be responsible for 45 students in three science classes.<\/p>\n

URI professors and other Noyce scholars throughout the country will be available, online and in person, to offer guidance and support, if she needs it. That\u2019s another perk of the Noyce program.\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a little nervous, but also really excited,\u2019\u2019 says Zawatsky, a recipient of the 2015 University Academic Excellence Award in Biology. \u201cI\u2019ve been super well-prepared by URI.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

She\u2019s looking forward to teaching kids about the joy of science. \u201cI\u2019ve always loved science \u2013 the hows and whys and unknowns. I\u2019m fascinated by the mechanical ways of the universe. There\u2019s a magic and beauty to science I can\u2019t wait to share.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Next year, four more Noyce scholars are expected to graduate from URI.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a wonderful program,\u2019\u2019 says Seitsinger, \u201cfor Rhode Island and the country.\u2019\u2019
\nPictured above:
\nSarah Zawatsky, 21, of East Providence, the first Robert Noyce teacher scholar to graduate from the University of Rhode Island. Zawatsky, who graduated in May, will teach at a charter school in Woonsocket. She is also a professional photographer. https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SarahJZawatsky
\nPhoto by Jessica Shoe.<\/p>\n

Left to right, URI education professor Jay Fogleman; URI senior Zoe Rogers, URI graduate Sarah Zawatsky; URI professor Anne Seitsinger, URI senior Janelle Haire; and Rachel Naylor, a URI graduate student. The group attended the Noyce Northeast Conference in March in Cambridge, Mass.
\nPhoto courtesy of Anne Seitsinger.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sarah Zawatsky will teach science at Woonsocket charter school Media Contact: Elizabeth Rau, 401-874-2116 KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 May 29, 2015 \u2013 Sarah Zawatsky just left the classroom, but can’t wait to get back in. This fall, the University of Rhode Island graduate will start a new job as a science teacher at a charter school […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":308,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions\/308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/noyce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}