Amy Ritz, one of the Golden Holtan recipients, is congratulated by Roger Bennett, Golden Holtans Chair, and by Dr. Boyd Holtan.At the banquet of the annual conference, Roger Bennett, Golden Holtan Grant chair, shared the purpose of the Golden Holtans, the new awardees of these grants, and encouragement for future applicants. Named for Dr. Boyd Holtan, a retired professor from West Virginia University, the Golden Holtans are grants for practicing classroom teachers for the development of a particular project in their classrooms.  Checks in the amount of $400 for each of the projects were presented by Dr. Holtan.  This year’s Golden Holtan Grant recipients were Amy Ritz, a teacher at Moundsville Middle School in Marshall County, for her project entitled “Gingerbread Geometry,” Amy Cowgill, a teacher at Frankfort High School in Mineral County, for her project entitled “After-School ACT-SAT Tutoring,” Lee-Dorah Wokpara, a teacher at Mountain Ridge Middle School in Berkeley County, for her project entitled “I-Pad Air 2,” and Sara Harris Dailey, a teacher at John J. Cornwell Elementary in Hampshire County for her project entitled “Legos in K-5 and in the Title I Classroom.”

Sheila Ruddle, this year’s recipient of the prestigious “Chair” award and a former WVCTM president, presented the Walter Regula Mathematics Teacher-in-Training Grant to Laurie Hercules, a student at Shepherd University majoring in secondary mathematics education.  This grant is named in honor of Sheila’s father, Walter Regula (1914-1975), a Marshall University math education professor who also served as president of the Council. The $600 award is made annually to an outstanding college or university student who is training to become a mathematics teacher and who has intentions of teaching in West Virginia.  Laurie is said to possess the rare combination of knowing her content field thoroughly, knowing and understanding the best methods for teaching that field and enjoying her work with youth. As a youth, Laurie participated in Math Field Day in Berkeley County, and she credits that as providing a defining moment in her decision to become a mathematics teacher.  She has more recently worked as a summer school math tutor for Jefferson County Schools.  She states that she is committed to mathematics education and the well-being of WV students.

Also recognized were the 2016 West Virginia Finalists for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Bridget Jordan from Sherrard Middle School in Ohio County and Amanda Menihan from the Morgantown Learning Academy in Monongalia County.