22nd National Teacher of the Year Named

Jennifer Sinsel, a fifth grade teacher at Wichita Collegiate School in Wichita, Kansas, was selected as the 22nd National Teacher of the Year named in the honor of educator/astronaut Christa McAuliffe. The administration of the Wichita Collegiate School nominated Sinsel for this national award.

A native of Andover, Kansas, Sinsel joined the faculty of the Wichita Collegiate School in 1999. A graduate of the University of North Dakota, Sinsel earned both a Bachelor and Master of Science degree from the University of North Dakota in 1997 and 2000, respectively. She is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Gift Education at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Sinsel has received numerous awards for her teaching. In addition, she is an accomplished author with four publications to her credit including; Just the Facts: Earth and Space Science—A Teacher's Guide with Standards-Based Activities in Earth and Space Science. Sinsel is also an active member in several professional organizations including the National Science Teachers Association and the Kansas Association for Teachers of Science.

She will receive the $5,000 cash award during the AFA National Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2007.

This year, AFA is also pleased to honor a second and third place winner for the Teacher of the Year Award. The second place award of $2,500 is awarded to a team of teachers from The Gereau Center, in Rocky Mount, Virginia, Sandy Sampson and Robert Keck. Sampson and Keck were nominated by the AFA Roanoke Chapter. Finally, the third place award of $1,000 will be given to Kareen Borders, who teaches at Key Peninsula Middle School in Lake Bay, Washington. Borders was nominated for the award by the AFA McChord Chapter. The presentations of the second and third place awards are being coordinated with the sponsors.

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