Mater Lakes High names Patricia Valenzano as Teacher of the Year

Patricia Valenzano won the title of Teacher of the Year for the 2017-2018 school year at Mater Lakes Academy High School.
Valenzano has been teaching science for 13 years, she also teaches in virtual school as well. She has a Bachelor's in Science from the University of Miami with a major in biology and a Master's in education for curriculum and instruction from American College of Education.
Valenzano said that she likes to bring biological concepts to life through labs which captures students' interest of science. She wants them to become lifelong learners and thinkers, where they should be able to apply scientific principles to real-life problem solving.
In addition to teaching, she sponsors the Fairchild Challenge Club. Here is where she gets to encourage students to compete in an environmental science competition to explore the natural world. The program has been recognized as a benchmark for exceptional STEM education and for empowering PreK–12th grade students to become the next generation of scientists, researchers, educated voters, policy makers and environmentally-minded citizens.
She truly does like getting to know her students, their strengths and weaknesses and develop lessons that challenge their strengths and provide growth on their weaknesses. She is extremely grateful to be named Teacher of the Year after all the hard work and dedication she has put to increase the education and interest in science.