Wasilla teacher earns national grant

Valley Life editor

A Wasilla High School science teacher recently won a $10,000 grant from Toyota for "excellence and innovation in science."

Cheryl Abbott received the Toyota Tapestry grant for her work with "Project Sikuvik -- The Science of Lake Ice and Snow." She received the award at a convention in Atlanta in April. Only 50 U.S. teachers received the Toyota Tapestry grant.

Project Sikuvik allowed students to use specialized equipment to measure lake ice thickness, snow depth, density and temperature through the snow pack in three climate regions of Alaska. Students calculated heat flow from water through the ice and snow to the atmosphere.

The students' efforts are part of a much bigger project, as data collected is going to be shared with researcher Dr. Martin Jeffries at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and support research on the variability of lake ice thickness, snow depth and conductive heat flow of energy in the Arctic cryosphere.

The in-depth project involved numerous scientific processes, which organizers said is a major part of Toyota Tapestry projects.

"Cheryl's project is an innovative way of teaching high school students about variables that influence lake ice growth and Alaska survival skills," said Michael Rouse, corporate manager of philanthropy and community affairs for Toyota. "It exemplifies the spirit of the Toyota Tapestry grant, which is to foster creative and novel ways of presenting science."

Abbott has been teaching science for seven years. She has received several grants for her research projects.

The Toyota Tapestry program is sponsored by Toyota and ran by the National Science Teachers Association. It is the largest K-12 science teacher grant program in the country. Each year, Toyota awards grants to teachers of kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers. Award-winning projects demonstrate creativity, involve risk-taking, and possess a visionary quality.

Fifty national Toyota Tapestry grants of up to $10,000 are awarded each year, along with a minimum of 20 mini-grants of up to $2,500 each year.