2008 RMS Teacher of the Year

Mary Fitts

My name is Mary Fitts and I teach in the Douglas County School District at Sierra Middle School in Parker, Colorado. Since majoring in geology at Rice University and working as a geologist, I have been passionate about teaching Earth Science to my eighth grade students. Kids are naturally curious about their world, and love to learn about "their Earth" in a variety of ways. Being a science teacher is a huge advantage; I can provide a wide variety of lab-based activities to promote learning and inquiry. Whether my students are trying to identify a mineral, determine how a convection current works, or proposing their own hypotheses about dinosaur behavior, they are learning from the inquiry process itself. As a result, I hope that when my students go on to high school, they leave my class with a solid appreciation of "their Earth" and its resources, its dynamic nature, and the desire to safeguard it for the next generation.

I truly appreciate the wonderful opportunity to represent Earth Science teachers in the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and it is with great honor that I accept the 2008 Teacher of the Year Award. I sincerely commend professional organizations like the AAPG that support educators in their efforts to teach about the value and preservation of our natural resources.

Mary B. Fitts
Sierra Middle School
Parker, Colorado