Wednesday, June 27

Wow!  This has been an incredible day.  It started at 7:00 AM with registration and a photo session at 8:08 AM.  Breakfast and meet and greet followed and I met several outstanding math and science teachers from across the US.  I enjoyed one of the meet and greet sessions with other teachers from the Great Lakes/Upper Midwest region. It was interesting to see how teachers in WI, MI, MN, and IA worked with local industry and universities to build relationships.  Appleton East seems pretty lucky with our relationships with UWGB (Lower Fox River Watershed Monitoring Program) and UWO (SHArK Project).

After a lunch with other science teachers where Next Generation Science Standards were discussed, we learned how to craft a message and talking points for media and congressional meetings.  I never thought about doing this!  Think of a triangle with the message inside and the 3 points of the triangle containing supporting data or anecdotal evidence.  We also came up with talking points to be on message.

After the official activities, the American Chemical Society met with the 4 teachers who are both PAEMST awardees and ACS members.  We received a goodie bag that included a really cool cookbook and got our picture taken with our new "Chemistry Ambassador" sashes.  I guess our photo is going to be on www.facebook.co/ChemistryAmbassadors.  I haven't looked to see if we're there, yet.

Our geocaching trek was for naught because the 2 virtuals we were going to try to get today (near one of yesterday's finds) were in closed off areas in the Ellipse.  Ron is going to try again tomorrow.

We walked to the Decatur House for dinner on a very warm evening.

Dinner tonight was at the historic Decatur House.  The china was from President Obama's inaugral luncheon.

Dinner was great!  The keynote speaker was the White House Assistant Chef, Sam Kass.  He spoke about the White House garden and Let's Move initiative. 

After dinner we strolled past the White House on the way back to the Willard.  Tomorrow is an early start (6:45 AM) as we head to the National Science Foundation.  Afterward I meet with Congressman Ribble and Congressman Petri.  We'll finish the evening with the actual award ceremony; the reality of this is beginning to sink in!