Meridian Park Elementary wins $10,000 award from Symetra / Seahawks Heros in the Classroom

From left, Seattle Seahawks President Peter McLoughlin,
Symetra Executive Vice Presidents Jon Curley and Rich LaVoice,
and Meridian Park Principal Amy Jessee.

Meridian Park Elementary School in Shoreline has been awarded a Heroes in the Classroom "MVP Award" from Symetra and the Seattle Seahawks. Through the award, the school will receive a $10,000 grant to fund an innovative student achievement program.

The Symetra Heroes in the Classroom program honors teachers in the Seattle, Shoreline and Renton School Districts for educational excellence throughout the NFL football season. 

Twenty-four teachers, including nine from Shoreline, were recognized as Symetra Heroes in 2011, making their respective schools eligible to compete for an MVP Award. The winning programs were selected by a committee of representatives from Symetra, the Seahawks, the Alliance for Education and the three school districts.

Meridian Park Elementary School will use the grant to establish a new Creation Station and Learning Center to promote hands-on exploration of math and science concepts.

By creating an extended learning center that is specifically focused on math and science, Meridian Park intends to build a program that can have an impact on every student, and help improve state standardized test scores along the way. 

The Creation Station project will integrate and enhance the school's science and math curriculum by promoting hands-on, real-life learning experiences in a special classroom where kids can play educational games, use microscopes and build with Legos and robotics kits. All of the materials, lessons and educational games used will be fully aligned to each grade level's academic expectations and curriculum for Washington's math and science standards.

"For students to love learning about math and science, they need to feel a connection to it and feel inspired by hands-on learning opportunities," said Amy Jessee, principal of Meridian Park Elementary School. 

"The Creation Station and Learning Center will provide an innovative, fun and challenging way for students to achieve mastery in science and mathematical concepts through project-based learning. It takes us beyond classroom textbooks and links to other curricular areas such as writing, social studies and social-emotional learning. 

"We believe the Creation Station will have life-long ramifications in terms of preparing our students for the real world, inspiring both our at-risk students to make a tangible connection to math and enriching the learning experience of our Highly Capable program students."

Along with Meridian Park, also receiving MVP Awards were Dimmit Middle School in Renton and Roxhill Elementary in Seattle. The schools, represented by a principal or staff member, were honored by Seahawks President Peter McLoughlin and Symetra Executive Vice Presidents Jon Curley and Rich LaVoice during an on-field check presentation at halftime of the Seahawks’ final regular season home game on December 24.

In addition, Kellogg Middle School in Shoreline will receive a $2,500 grant from Symetra to support its efforts to close the achievement gap through student and family engagement.

Shoreline's 2011 Symetra Heroes in the Classroom were Jennifer Etter (Shorecrest), Therese Russell (Brookside), Anne Marie Culver (Kellogg), Ali Airhart (Syre), Diana Dillard (Shorewood), Kay Law (Ridgecrest), Tracy Andersen (Meridian Park) Michael Callahan (Room Nine Community School), and Marybeth Scherf (Lake Forest Park).

For more information about the Symetra Heroes in the Classroom program, visit their webpage.