Leader of Royal Robotics honored

ROYAL CITY - Royal High School has dominated robotics competitions in the region from the first time the school entered teams.

Now the man behind the students who've brought honor to their school has himself been honored.

Royal High science and technology teacher Mario Alberto Godoy-Gonzales has been named to the 2011 fellowship class of the Society for Science and the Public (SSP).

Godoy-Gonzales is one of 10 fellows selected from a pool of entrants from 42 states and American Samoa. These 10 will join 20 active fellows from the classes of 2009 and 2010.

"I have been a member of a network of educators, scientists and mentors at the state and national levels for several years, and the fellowship will be an awesome opportunity to bring all that expertise into my classroom," Godoy-Gonzales said. "The fellowship will allow me to teach my students real scenarios to do scientific research."

Godoy-Gonzales will receive full support to attend the Fellows Institute on July 25-29 in Washington D.C. He will receive on-going training and resources from SSP. And he will receive $8,500 in 2011 for the classroom and community.

"The funding will help me purchase materials to support students in their search for the right career," Godoy-Gonzales said.

According to the SSP's Caitlin Jennings, participants can retain their fellowship for up to four years to ensure that promising students can pursue independent research through their high school years.

"Independent research projects give students the flexibility to explore their world and encourage the inquiry cycle," said Elizabeth Marincola, president of the SSP.