Kim Miller (left) from Goleta Valley Junior High School, receiving her award from Anna Parra, Director of Public Affairs, Time Warner Cable, at the 2010 California State Science Fair Teacher of the Year awards
Alumna Kim Miller (’89, single subject teaching credential, life science) from UC Santa Barbara’s Teacher Education Program is the teacher of James Roney, recent first-place winner in the science component of the Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering Rising Stars) competition, featuring science fair winners from across the United States. Roney – currently a freshman at Dos Pueblos High School – won for a project completed in Kim Miller’s 8th grade science class last year at Goleta Valley Junior High School. Roney’s project examined how ants communicate the amount of sugar in food sources.
Miller also won the California State Science Fair Teacher of the Year (Junior Division) Award in 2010. That year she connected a student with the Faulkes Telescope Project, giving the student the opportunity to control a functioning robotic telescope as part of his science fair project. Upon receipt of that award Miller said she believes that the best thing to do for students is to not stand in their way. Her hope is to instill a sense of self-confidence in all students, and encourages them to always be proud of themselves.