ISTE Board President Kecia Ray and CEO Brian Lewis Congratulate Educators Honored by President Obama as “Champions of Change”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (PRWEB) November 21, 2013 -- Today President Obama honored two International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) members as “Champions of Change.” In a special ceremony at the White House, Bud Hunt, instructional technologist at the St. Vrain Valley School District in Fort Collins, Colo., and Todd Nesloney, fifth grade teacher at Fields Store Elementary in Brenham, Texas, were recognized for the creative ways that they use technology to enhance learning for their students.
“Bud and Todd are illustrative of the ways that talented educators are leveraging the power of connectivity and digital learning resources to transform the lives of their students,” said ISTE CEO Brian Lewis. “Both of these exceptional teachers extend their reach beyond the borders of their schools and districts to inspire and advise their colleagues around the country. We’re proud to have them as ISTE members.”
This recognition supports President Obama’s ConnectED Initiative to connect 99 percent of America’s students to high-speed wireless internet in five years and calling on the Federal Communications Commission to modernize its existing E-Rate program to meet this goal. As part of the initiative, the President challenged the federal government as well as states, districts, schools and communities to help prepare all teachers to thrive in a connected classroom and leverage technology to re-imagine learning.
“Phenomenal teachers who change students’ lives are the most valuable resource in any school community,” said Kecia Ray, ISTE Board President. “As we congratulate today’s Champions of Change, we also recognize the thousands of dedicated teachers who make a difference in their students’ lives every day. We look forward to working with today’s honorees to leverage their expertise to strengthen collaborative, deeper learning in digital environments.”
Bud Hunt, InstructionalTechnologist, Vrain Valley School District
Fort Collins, Colo.
Bud Hunt is an instructional technologist for the St. Vrain Valley School District, where he works with a strong team of educators and technologists who share a vision of creating environments that support innovative teaching and learning while preserving freedom, choice, and opportunity for all the students in the public school system. His extensive experience in both pedagogy and technical systems helps him to build bridges between the educational and technological sides of educational institutions. Hunt advises others across the country on the thoughtful implementation of technology to support teaching and learning.
Todd Nesloney, Fifth Grade Teacher, Fields Store Elementary
Brenham, Texas
Todd Nesloney is a fifth grade teacher at Fields Store Elementary in Waller, Texas. He is a National School Boards Association “20 to Watch” for 2013, Center for Digital Education “Top 40 Innovators in Education” for 2013, SMART Exemplary Educator, Discovery Star Educator, Classroom Champions Teacher, Ron Clark Academy Slide Certified, part of the Remind101 Teacher Advisory Board, and Part of the Teacher Advisory Board as well as a Flipped Classroom Certification Instructor for Sophia.org. Nesloney is co-founder of The 3 Tech Ninjas education technology training company, the author of children’s book “Spruce & Lucy,” co-author of “Flipping 2.0”, and the co-host of the education podcast series “EduAllStars.” Todd travels and speaks at different conferences across the United States.
About ISTE
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders committed to empowering connected learners in a connected world. Home to ISTE’s conference and expo and the widely adopted ISTE Standards for learning, teaching and leading in the digital age, the association represents more than 100,000 professionals worldwide. For more information, visit iste.org. Follow ISTE on Twitter @ISTEConnects.
Jodie Pozo-Olano, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), +1 8049866911, [email protected]
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