At Maplewood High School in Guys Mills, science teacher Jason Clark Drake takes advantage of the school's rural setting to obtain specimens for use in lessons, and engages students in real-life applications of classroom material. He and his students collaborated with state departments of transportation and conservation and Allegheny College to form living snow fences along Interstate 79 by planting nearly 3,000 trees. Mr. Drake and his student volunteers have also partnered with numerous local, state and federal agencies to complete six environmental restoration projects in northwestern Pennsylvania to prevent erosion and weathering. Mr. Drake was instrumental in organizing annual field trips to Wallops Island, Virginia, providing students from rural Pennsylvania with hands-on experiences in a marine environment. He is a mentor in the Allegheny College Teacher Scholar Program, helping undergraduates gain teaching experience in the classroom.
1999 Edinboro University, MS Biology
1994 Grove City College, BS Biology
