2013-05-17: Educational Awards Banquet

This year, we had more than 1,400 students representing over 40 high schools throughout Los Angeles County take the Local ACS Exam in March. Harvard-Westlake High School finished first overall while North Hollywood High School edged out Arcadia High School by one point to finish first for first year students. The winners of the local exam were invited to participate in the National Exam on April 13th at Occidental College for a chance to be part of the International Olympiad in July in Moscow, Russia. These students, as well as the top performers and teachers from each school of 10 or more participants, will be honored at our annual Educational Awards Banquet, along with the Paul Shin Memorial High School Teacher of the Year, Paul Bender (see page 4 for his biography).

Reservations: We have an Enchilada Buffet featuring chicken and cheese enchiladas with all the fixings. The cost of the dinner is $20 per person or $15 for students, cash or check at the door. Please call Nancy Paradiso in the Section Office at 310 327-1216 or email office@scalacs.org by Monday, May 13, 2013 for reservations. Note: Please honor your reservation. If you make a reservation and do not attend, you will be liable for the cost of the dinner.

Directions: The meeting will take place in the Donahue Center in McIntyre Hall on the Doheny Campus. For directions, please go to http://www.msmc.la.edu/about-msmc/our-campuses/driving-instructions.asp.

Nothing makes me happier then to be able to announce Paul Bender as the annual winner of the Paul Shin Memorial Award for High School Chemistry Teaching. Paul has been teaching at Whitney High School since the fall of 1993. Paul got his Bachelors at Biola University in 1993 and then started at Whitney immediately after that. He also earned a Masters degree (also from Biola) along the way in 2003. He has been teaching AP Chemistry since 2008.

Paul has regularly had students placing in the top of the section on the yearly ACS High School Chemistry Olympiad and has many students take part in the semifinal exam. In 2010 one of his students made it all the way to a medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad in Turkey. Our local Olympiad sponsor had much praise for Paul and thought him a excellent choice as this year’s winner.

Paul’s nominating letters from students show a true dedication to the profession. Sacrificing countless hours beyond the required to his students. His administrators and colleagues praised him as a not only truly dedicated to the school and it’s students but also to working very closely with the rest of the faculty. He has been a class sponsor and also brave enough to chaperone students on out of state trips, a challenge I am very familiar with, and it takes true dedication to undertake such a challenge.

It is rare these days to see such dedication as Paul displays. The students from my school participate in many academic competitions and meet the students from Whitney pretty regularly. They are a force to be reckoned with and now after seeing what Paul has done I can understand why. Whitney is very fortunate to have such a strong and dedicated individual as Paul Bender.

Paul will receive a $500 cash award from the local section, a plaque for display in his classroom, recognition at this year’s awards banquet, and bragging rights as this year’s winner. In addition we will forward his application next year for the Western Regional ACS Award.

– Michael Morgan, Chair, Education Committee
Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School