Leading the way

by Aimee Seim<br>Herald Staff Writer
| April 3, 2006 9:00 PM

Royal High School teacher brings biotech to the classroom, receives national recognition for work

ROYAL CITY — Biotechnology is not a course topic often offered to students at the high school level.

The high cost of equipment is one significant factor, but it is a subject Royal High School teacher Mario Godoy-Gonzalez has been introducing to his students since 1999. Over the years, he's received much national recognition for his work.

"Even though I realized that it was crazy to think about teaching biotechnology in the classroom, I knew that we needed it," Godoy-Gonzalez said.

Godoy-Gonzalez's interest in science and eventually biotechnology began in 1994 when he was asked to teach science for the Royal School District.

A native of Chile and a language teacher, the offer to teach science was somewhat unexpected.

He agreed with the condition that he wanted to teach a hands-on approach, getting away from using textbooks and conducting teacher-led experiments.

Ethnobotany, the study of a culture's use of plants, and the study of plant DNA are a few of the topics Godoy-Gonzalez has taught his students.

"I will not teach science the way I learned science," Godoy-Gonzalez said referring to the crowded classrooms and text book approach he recalls having in school as a child.

In 1995 Godoy-Gonzalez spent a summer at the University of Washington studying in a program for science teachers, and in 1996 became part of a research group with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center out of Seattle where he studied what is called the Chromosome X Syndrome.

Through these institutions Godoy-Gonzalez would form partnerships essential to furthering his own understanding, field experience and interest in biotechnology, and obtain loaned equipment to use in his classroom until he could purchase his own.

Godoy-Gonzalez's work with his students and his growing reputation in the field of biotechnology resulted in his nomination earlier this year as a finalist for the 2006 Genzyme-Invitrogen Biotech Educator Award.

The award was established by the Biotechnology Institute to recognize educators at the high school level dedicated to introducing biotechnology into the classroom and improving the teaching and learning of the biotechnology field.

"The nominees are at the forefront of the Institute's mission to create a base of understanding and awareness about biotechnology among teachers and students and building the next generation of biotechnology leaders," stated Paul A. Hanle, president of the Biotechnology Institute in a press release.

Finalists are chosen from more than 1,000 teacher-leaders who participate in the Biotechnology Institute's Teacher-Leader Program. The first place winner receives $10,000, the second place winner receives $5,000 and the third place winner receives $2,500.

"I am the only one that is from the rural communities," Godoy-Gonzalez said of being a finalist. "We might be rural, but we still have the willingness to teach and kids that are very bright."

Godoy-Gonzalez will head to Chicago Saturday where a panel of judges will choose three winners.

Earlier last month, Godoy-Gonzalez received word that he was one of 500 teachers selected nationwide to be part of a Mars exploration and outreach workshop this summer in Fairbanks, Alaska.

While there, Godoy-Gonzalez will work with nine pairs of selected science teachers to study new ways of bringing polar science into the classroom. The goal is for the teachers to bring back information to share with students and their communities.

In the future Godoy-Gonzalez said he would like to provide further biotechnology opportunities for students by forming partnerships with local institutions such as Big Bend Community College.

"At least we're showing that we can do things here," Godoy-Gonzalez said of Royal City. "We have to be in the middle of everything."