Deborah Armstrong

Mineola High School science teacher Deborah Armstrong is receiving a Science Teachers Association of Texas (STAT) Innovation Award and grant for the Science Show Extravaganza her high school students present yearly at Mineola Elementary School.

The STAT Innovation Award program recognizes the best and brightest science initiatives in Texas while also offering solutions to the resource challenges schools face. MHS is one of four schools to be awarded. The $4,700 grant will be used to purchase materials and resources to implement and sustain the extravaganza. 

The extravaganza is an all-day program of science, technology, engineering and math activities led and taught by Armstrong’s high school students. Younger students learn through hands-on experiments and demonstrations. 

Twenty-five booths are set up by the high school students who explain their project, lead the demonstrations and experiments and answer questions. Past demonstrations include learning about friction with a hovercraft, static electricity with a Van DeGraaff machine, and biology with a petting zoo. 

Armstrong said the extravaganza has been done for years with only supplies available. She wanted to be able to incorporate more STEM projects but needed more money for equipment. With the grant, she hopes to provide new and exciting science experiences for the students in May. Armstrong will be recognized at the 2019 Conference for the Advancement of Science Teachers in Dallas Nov. 21-23.