Newly retired as a Fulton High School science teacher, Carol Robertson is teaching at Westminster College and - oh yes - going to Washington, D.C. to be honored as one of the best.
Robertson will receive the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching as the state's 2015 science teacher winner.
"I was one of four nominated for Missouri for science (for 2015)," she said. "The national committee then picks one from each state. They do this every other year."
The winning teachers from 2014 and 2015 will travel to Washington, D.C., Sept. 7-9. The teachers will receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation and will participate in professional development activities, network with fellow STEM educators from across the nation and receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States while in D.C. for recognition events.
"The award ceremony will be at the DAR Constitution Hall," Robertson said. "You can put in to tour the White House; I put mine in for Friday at noon."
Robertson said she didn't start out intending to be a science teacher.
"I went to Mizzou as a freshman on a volleyball scholarship to study pre-veterinarian," she said. "Then I thought twice and switched to science education and never looked back."
She didn't escape the veterinarian aspect of life, however - her husband, Bruce, is a vet.
"My husband and I have a farm and we're both semi-retired," Robertson said. "We're celebrating our 36th anniversary."
Robertson cited her friend Sandy several times: "Teaching is not talking; learning is not listening."
"I want to do something that's applicable to the lives of students," she said. "I want to to get them excited. It help them make a career decision."
When she thinks back, Robertson said she was perhaps a scientist by nature.
"My dad was a pastor," she said, then related an early experiment to see how quickly cotton balls burned. "I think my parents thought I was going to kill them, burn the house down."
Enlisting the help of a family friend, Robertson soon found her life changed via a beginner's microscope and chemistry set.
"That kind of channeled my energy," she said.
The Robertsons met during her freshman year of college, and got married after their sophomore year. They had two sons, Jeff, an F-15 fighter pilot who died unexpectedly, and Jeff, a mechanical engineer who has two children, Boone Samuel and Grace.
The trip to D.C. will entail some learning opportunities and professional development.
"It's actually a really, really big deal," she said, adding she loves to speak at conferences and engage with young teachers and students. "You want these kids to be actively engaged. I've had a couple student who went on to get their Ph.D in genetics."
Robertson said she is teaching "Introduction to Human Biology" in her new role at Westminster.
"I'm very excited to be at Westminster - it's a very quality college, and I'm excited to be part of the team there," she said. "I'd like to continue trying out the college level, and spend more time with our grandchildren."
