News-Leader staff

Ryan Lacson, science teacher at Galena High School, has been recognized by the National Association of Biology Teachers as the 2017 Outstanding Biology Teacher Award winner for Missouri. He will be honored at the 2017 NABT Professional Development Conference in St. Louis on Nov. 9-12, at the Union Station Hotel. Lacson also sponsors Galena High School's Beta Club and is an assistant volleyball coach.

The Outstanding Biology Teacher Award program recognizes an outstanding biology educator of grades 7-12 in each of the 50 states; Washington, DC; Canada; Puerto Rico; and overseas territories. Candidates for this award do not have to be NABT members, but they must have at least three years of public, private, or parochial school teaching experience.

A major portion of the nominee's career must have been devoted to the teaching of biology/life science, and candidates are judged on their teaching ability and experience, cooperativeness in the school and community, and student-teacher relationships.

OBTA recipients are special guests of Carolina Biology Supply Company at the Honors Luncheon held at the NABT Professional Development Conference, receive gift certificates from Carolina Biological Supply Company, resources from other sponsors, and award certificates and complimentary one-year membership from NABT.

Additionally, Lacson was chosen for the CDC Science Ambassador Fellowship. The Fellowship is the only program of its kind offered by CDC for teachers and educational leaders interested in bringing public health sciences into current middle and high school classrooms. The competitive fellowship includes a 5-day summer course at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and a 1-year distance-based professional development opportunity.

For more information on the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award visit nabt.org/Awards-About-More-Information#OBTA

Visit cdc.gov/careerpaths/scienceambassador/ for more information on the CDC Fellowship.

Send Awards & Achievers news to webeditor@news-leader.com, or call Brynn E.White at 417-836-1112 with questions.