Dr. Patrycja Krakowiak, a life science specialist at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, was recognized for her contribution to the Arkansas Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium earlier this year.
Krakowiak received a Teacher Award for her efforts to encourage the study of science, technology, mathematics and engineering from the regional organization. She was notified by Christine Addo, the project coordinator for the national Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in an email. Krakowiak was nominated for the award by Dr. Jessica Young, an associate professor of physics at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville who serves as director for the Arkansas Regional Symposium. She received a $500 prize for the recognition.
Receiving the award was a surprise, Krakowiak said. She was unaware she was being considered for the award before receiving Addo’s email. She was one of 47 regional winners in the nation, she said.
“I didn’t quite believe it. I didn’t even apply for it, but I was nominated by the regional director,” Kraowiak said.
She said ASMSA had about a dozen students who registered to participate in this year’s regional symposium, which was forced to move to a virtual competition in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That was a few more students than who normally participate in the regional competition, but she made the effort to push her students to participate in the symposium this year because of the number of outstanding projects.
The recognition also was a little more special. She would normally split the number of students with projects with Dr. Whitney Holden, who is also a life science specialist at ASMSA, but Holden was off campus for maternity leave in the spring. That meant Krakowiak covered for both.
“Instead of five students for science fair, I had 22 this year. I couldn’t put the personal touches on everything as I normally do. We usually print science fair boards in February, but we moved it up to January this year. I was able to spread the students out,” she said.
Those same projects were used by the students for the regional symposium. Krakowiak said she sees part of her teaching duties as encouraging students to work toward achieving higher goals than they may have reached for before.
“Every student and every project is precious and priceless, but they have to be at the highest level of inquiry. You push those students to reach for the highest level possible for them,” she said.
Krawkoiak said receiving the regional recognition was an encouragement for her to continue striving in and outside of the classroom.
“It’s important because sometimes I wonder did I do enough this year. Did I do enough to promote student learning? This is sort of saying you did. It’s confirmation that I’m doing in students’ lives is important and relevant. It’s affirmation that hard work makes a difference and that other people outside of our institution, students and community are recognizing it,” she said.