LV teacher wins national award for math, science

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, April 14, 2005 | 9:26 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- A Las Vegas teacher has been awarded one of the nation's highest math and science teaching honors.

Rosemary Vitavec, a third grade teacher at Walter Bracken Magnet School, on Tuesday was announced as one of 95 winners from across the nation of the Presidential Award for Mathematics and Science Teaching. The $10,000 awards were created in 1983 and are administered by the White House and the National Science Foundation.

"This is the biggest thing to ever happen to me in teaching," the 23-year veteran said. Vitavec has taught in Clark County for 12 years. Bracken places a special emphasis on math and science learning with technology.

Vitavec, 47, who was nominated by a supervisor, included a video in her nomination materials of a lesson in which students created boats of foil to experiment with different boat designs.

Later she allowed the students time to wander outside the lesson parameters by using their own materials. Students tried soap, cardboard and plastic, among others, she said. Some students wanted to poke holes in their boats to watch them sink, so she let them.

Vitavec said she prefers to allow student curiosity to take over science lab experiments, rather than sticking to exact plans. If ladybugs grab their interest, build the insects a habitat for observation, she said.

"Students have an amazing curiosity," she said. "It's best to let them have a stake in the inquiry."

Vitavec and many of her fellow awardees are in the nation's capital this week to accept their honors and are scheduled to take photographs with President Bush today.

Vitavec was the only winner from Nevada, although two other Las Vegas teachers were among 239 national award finalists: Patty Bray of Molasky Junior High School and Gina Mason of Marc Kahre Elementary.