Anna Gill '12 of Canal Winchester wins poster competition at Ohio Space Grant Consortium

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Marietta College senior Anna Gill of Canal Winchester, Ohio.

MARIETTA, OH (05/03/2012)(readMedia)-- Anna Gill '12 (Canal Winchester, Ohio) is just another example of how Marietta College's McCoy Scholars seem to deliver exemplary work every year.

Gill, who will be one of nearly 300 seniors participating in the 175th annual Commencement ceremony at Marietta on May 13 in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center, recently won first-place in the poster competition at the Ohio Space Grant Consortium in Cleveland.

It was the second consecutive year a Marietta student received this honor. Leah Mendenhall '11 took home the honor in 2011.

"The best part was that college professors recognized my work as being engaging to students, as well as being a good use of NASA's many educational materials," Gill said. "When they called my name at the awards presentation, I felt very honored to be the second Marietta student in a row to win the poster presentation."

Gill's lesson was about spectroscopy as a part of a unit on the electromagnetic spectrum. That fit perfectly with the guidelines - prepare a lesson or series of lessons that highlight NASA materials - for the scholarship she received.

"I did not think that I would win, but when I got to the poster presentation I started thinking that I might have a chance," Gill said.

Gill said Kim Depue, a Marietta Middle School science teacher, helped spark the concept for the poster. She also received a great deal of support and encouragement from Dr. Cathy Mowrer of the College's Education Department.

"The selection process to receive an education scholarship through the Ohio Space Grant Consortium is competitive Anna's poster presentation was selected as the top one for all education students teaching in grades K through 12," Mowrer said. "Anna's presentation was selected as the winner because she was extremely knowledgeable of the content, provided a thorough and engaging lesson plan, and provided concrete examples from her lesson plan. Those who evaluated her presentation stated that was extremely impressive and will make an outstanding educator."

Gill will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Middle Childhood Education. She hopes to obtain a social justice internship or do some mission work through the United Methodist Church after graduation. If that falls through, she'll start looking for teaching jobs in the Marietta and Columbus areas.

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