The
Virginia
Association
of
Science
Teachers
(VAST)
has
recognized
Debra
Peterman,
an
eighth-grade
physical
science
teacher
and
Virginia
Junior
Academy
of
Science
sponsor
at
Benton
Middle
School,
for
her
exemplary
contributions
to
quality
science
education.
Peterman
received
the
Recognition
in
Science
Education
(RISE)
award
in
the
middle
school
teacher
category
at
the
VAST
Professional
Development
Institute,
recently
held
virtually.
Peterman
has
made
many
contributions
to
science
education
and
is
known
as
a
mentor
and
support
for
her
students
and
colleagues.
Her
nominator
states
that
Peterman's
students
look
up
to
her
as
a
role
model
in
the
classroom
and
she
shares
her
knowledge
with
fellow
educators.
Peterman
was
recently
published
in
the
Journal
of
Emerging
Investigators
(PDF)
with
a
former
student,
Rania
Lateef
(who
currently
attends
Charles
J.
Colgan
Sr.
High
School).Peterman holds a bachelor's degree in biology education and a master's in guidance and counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. She joined PWCS in 1989 as a school counselor at Rippon Middle School but moved to teaching after five years. She has been at Benton Middle since it opened in 1999. Peterman's husband, Thomas Peterman, also a PWCS teacher, retired this past June after 49 years of teaching middle school physical education.
In support of her nomination for the RISE Award, Shan Lateef, one of Peterman's former students who is currently a freshman at Yale University, wrote, "Not only did she guide us through the hands-on work in school, but she also accompanied us each year to competitions across the state, such as the Virginia Junior Academy of Science. Mrs. Peterman always kept in touch with me - enquiring, supporting, and cheering me on. I learned from Mrs. Peterman that science is a journey not a destination, and it has no final ending but rather it is a continuous source of amazement and learning."
VAST RISE Awards are presented to spotlight the excellent work done by science educators across Virginia and recognize service to science education in the individual's school, school system, and the VAST district in which the recipient works. The number of awards given each year is determined by a selection committee based on the nominee's qualifications.