Teachers and Schools Across North America Receive $10,000 Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence

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Jun 21, 2011, 06:38 ET

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced the 34 science teachers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico who are this year's recipients of the 19th annual Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence. The award recognizes extraordinary science teachers at the kindergarten through 12th grade level who significantly impact their students through exemplary science teaching and who achieve demonstrated results in student learning in communities where Amgen operates.

With a longstanding commitment to science education, Amgen established the teacher awards program to promote and encourage science teaching excellence in public and private schools. Since the program's inception in 1992, Amgen has awarded more than $3 million to educators who have made exceptional science-teaching contributions.

"At Amgen, we are committed to supporting programs that encourage bright young minds to explore a future in science," said Joseph P. Miletich, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president of research and development at Amgen. "We applaud this year's exceptional winning teachers who are inspiring their students to be excited about learning and science."

In 2011, Amgen received more than 360 applications for the Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence and winners were honored at special ceremonies in their respective Amgen communities or during surprise presentations at their schools. The 2011 award recipients are:

California
Jessica Davis, Film and Theatre Arts Charter High School in Los Angeles
Brian Grigsby, Shasta High School in Redding
Craig Madison, El Verano School in Sonoma
John McDaniel, Nevada Union High School in Grass Valley
Casey O'Hara, Carlmont High School in Belmont
Paul Swain, Albiani Middle School in Elk Grove

Colorado
James DePue, Wray High School in Wray
Lynn Gilbert, Conrad Ball Middle School in Loveland
Jennifer Nass-Fukai, Overland High School in Aurora
Roberta Tanner, Loveland High School in Loveland

Kentucky
Jane Crumbaker, McLean County Middle School in Calhoun
Keri Dowdy, Sedalia Elementary School in Mayfield
Daniela Ehemann, Highlands High School in Fort Thomas
Crista Williford, North Oldham High School in Goshen

Massachusetts
Boris Korsunsky, Weston High School in Weston
Wai Chin Ng, Josiah Quincy Elementary School in Boston
Rosemary Rak, Taunton High School in Taunton
Laura Stella, Wood Hill Middle School in Andover

Puerto Rico
Linda Clark Mora, Escuela Elemental Universidad de Puerto Rico in San Juan
Gladys Davila Hernandez, Escuela Secundaria UPR in San Juan
Pamela Rivera Mercado, Escuela Intermedia Alfonso Diaz Lebron in Juncos
Gilberto Sanchez Garcia, Escuela Superior Pedro Falu Orellano in Rio Grande

Rhode Island
Anthony Borgueta, Barrington Middle School in Barrington
Shannon Donovan, Scituate High School in North Scituate
Mary Frances Hanover, Providence Country Day School in East Providence
Joanne Kearns, Reservoir Avenue School in Providence

Washington
Margaret Carter, Wapato Middle School in Wapato
Robert Ettinger, Mercer Middle School in Seattle
Tyler Rice, Mt. White Swan High School in White Swan
Lois Sherwood, Port Townsend High School in Port Townsend

Canada
John Munro, High Road Academy in Chilliwack, British Columbia
Tracey O'Toole, Whitney Public School in Toronto, Ontario
Amy Park, Heritage Heights School, in DeWinton, Alberta
Andrea Venditti, Rosemere High School in Rosemere, Quebec

The 34 selected winners will receive the following benefits:

An unrestricted cash award of $5,000 USD or $5,000 CAD; and
A restricted $5,000 USD or $5,000 CAD cash grant to the recipient's school for the expansion or enhancement of a school science program, science resources, or the professional development of the school's science teachers.

Amgen partnered with the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Education to judge the teaching awards in the United States and Puerto Rico. The school's Department of Curriculum and Instruction is consistently recognized as a leader in education, and their expertise aided in the selection of the strongest possible winners.

Nominations were solicited in the fall of 2010 and winners were selected based on the following criteria: innovative science lesson plan, creativity and effectiveness of teaching methods, and the plan for the use of grant money to improve science education resources in their schools.

For more information about this year's winners and the program, please visit http://www.amgen.com/citizenship/aaste.html.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Kristen Davis, 805-447-3008 (media)

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SOURCE Amgen