Mrs. Heather Holliday

Westside High School science teacher Heather Holliday was recently named Anderson County secondary school Math/Science Teacher of the Year by the S.C. Society of Professional Engineers and Design South.

The group honors one elementary teacher and one secondary teacher each year.

Mrs. Holliday earned National Board Certification in 2003, and has taught science at Westside for four years.She also serves as an advisor to the Westside Robotics Team.

"I am honored that I was selected for this award.There are so many good teachers out there!I think it is great that the local members of the S.C. Society of Professional Engineers are trying to recognize the efforts and achievements of teachers," Mrs. Holliday said.

Westside High received a generous cash award of $500 to be used toward work in her classroom and Mrs. Holliday also received $1,000.Some of the other gifts included the use of a new BMW car for a weekend and a plaque.

"Heather Holliday is a great teacher and very deserving of this recognition," said Westside Principal Henry Adair.

A Westside science teacher, Heather Holliday won the 2005 Anderson County Science Teacher of the Year sponsored by the Piedmont Chapter of South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers.Our instructional staff is committed to providing a quality learning experience for all students.

Westside High School science teacher Heather Holliday was recently named Anderson County secondary school Math/Science Teacher of the Year by the S.C. Society of Professional Engineers and Design South.

The group honors one elementary teacher and one secondary teacher each year.

Mrs. Holliday earned National Board Certification in 2003, and has taught science at Westside for four years.She also serves as an advisor to the Westside Robotics Team.

"I am honored that I was selected for this award.There are so many good teachers out there!I think it is great that the local members of the S.C. Society of Professional Engineers are trying to recognize the efforts and achievements of teachers," Mrs. Holliday said.

Westside High received a generous cash award of $500 to be used toward work in her classroom and Mrs. Holliday also received $1,000.Some of the other gifts included the use of a new BMW car for a weekend and a plaque.

"Heather Holliday is a great teacher and very deserving of this recognition," said Westside Principal Henry Adair.

Many male and female students fear high school science and math courses because they think they will be too difficult , Westside High teacher Heather Holliday said.

Going into high school , you see very few who say , 'Yay.Let's go and take the really hard science classes' , she said.

The fear is unfounded for most students but encouraged by historically minimal elementary science instruction and teachers who themselves were unenthusiastic about the subject.That is changing.

School districts in South Carolina have begun enhancing their science curricula helped by a system of science hubs developed earlier this decade.
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It's better to be in high school and be feeling your way about it then being in college when you have to pay for the course and find you're not prepared , Ms. Holliday said.

Recognizing that , Clemson University's WISE program includes a Duke Energy-sponsored summer camp called Project WISE that brings rising eighth-grade girls to campus to encourage them to stick with science and math.Dozens of girls each year experience mini-engineering courses taught by Clemson faculty and meet role-model counselors who are female engineering and science students.

Heather Holliday