Nancy Talbott teaches science to seventh and eighth graders at Kennedy Middle School in Hays. In recent years, Mrs. Talbott has been involved in designing a curriculum enhancement program that would "make science a more vital part of the curriculum," and that would "stimulate student interest in science." The Christa McAuliffe Fellowship she was awarded in 1990 enabled her to pursue a state-wide curriculum development program. In the course of that effort, Mrs. Talbott worked with 351 teachers representing sixty-five schools; 9500 students benefited from the direct or indirect impact of the program. Mrs. Talbott says that her motivation is shaped by two factors: "putting the student at the heart of the learning," and "stimulating student interest in science." With these two elements in mind, Mrs. Talbott continues to be involved, inside and outside of the classroom, in an educational mission to help prepare young people for a world that has grown to rely more and more on scientific knowledge. "Understanding and appreciating the physical world and technology," she says, "gives hope for the future of our youth."
1963 Fort Hays State University, B.A.
