Tara Archuleta, a teacher at University High School, received the 2022 High School Chemistry Teacher Award from the Southern Arizona Section of the American Chemical Society.
Archuleta’s focus on research has become critical for her students’ success in college and has inspired some students to consider pursuing STEM studies (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), says a news release from the society.
Through her work Archuleta has made contributions to University High School’s Career and Technical Education Program, as well as to the SARSEF science fairs.
The American Chemical Society awarded Archuleta $500 for her personal use, as well as an additional $500 to University High for Archuleta to equip her classroom with new resources.
Tools for Schools
Two Tucson high school teachers were among 50 finalists throughout the United States for the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence award.
Nikolas Sanchez, a precision machining and manufacturing teacher at Tucson Magnet High School, and Mike Schmidt, an advanced manufacturing teacher at University High School, were among the finalists.
“What I love most about being a skilled trades teacher is seeing the moment when something in their brain clicks and they are able to unlock an entire new skill set that they never knew they had,” Sanchez wrote in his application.
Schmidt wrote about the importance of rotating his students through different activities, so they can find out what they might excel at and which skills they don’t wish to continue working on.
“No matter what the students are working on, it rarely goes perfectly the first time. … Students need to identify what went wrong last time and make the proper adjustments,” Schmidt wrote.
Harbor Freight Tools for Schools will announce the winners in October. It will award more than $1.25 million in cash prizes to 20 teachers and their skilled trade programs.
