Students at Santa Clara Elementary School in Washington District will take their studies outdoors soon, thanks to the outstanding work of one teacher.
Kevin R. Dunkley, a fourth-grade teacher, was honored Friday as US WEST Outstanding Teacher for 1994. The honor includes a $15,000 cash grant from the US WEST Foundation. He said he will use the money to create an outdoor classroom and a small musuem inside the school to help students in their study of the Shivwits Indian culture and science.Three other teachers also were honored by the communications company during a luncheon in the Delta Center. Utah First Lady Jacalyn Leavitt and US WEST Vice President Mark Stromberg were speakers.
Winning $1,000 awards were Lois Douglas, Polk Elementary, Ogden; Jane McVaugh, Valley Elementary, Huntsville; and Kelly Fitisemanu, who teaches kindergarten students in both Granger and Hillsdale elementary schools in Granite District.
Dunkley wants to create an outdoor classroom with such things as a greenhouse for native plants, fish pond and a weather station. All of Santa Clara's students have been working on the project and they have contacted local businesses for assistance.
"My goal is to provide a center of learning that will raise the science awareness of our community," Dunkley said. He is Utah's winner in US WEST's 14-state teacher recognition program.