Congratulations to our Arizona CSO Cabinet Coordinator for Southeast Arizona, Mr. Ty White. He was recognized for his outstanding achievements as a chemistry teacher.
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WILLCOX —The most essential qualities of a successful teacher include an ability to encourage and motivate students.
Willcox High School chemistry teacher Ty White is one of those teachers.
When an opportunity for his students to show off their talents arises, White is quick to share the challenge with them, giving them flexibility to demonstrate their individual creativity. His students have proven that their talents are worthy of his faith in them. They have won local, state and international awards in competitions many do not know even exist. It is White’s ability to search out these competitive challenges and share them with his students that lets their imaginations shine and gives them well-deserved recognition.
The list of competitions his students have won is lengthy. Some include the SSVEC YES Fair, the Southern Arizona Research, Science, and Engineering Fair, the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair and the International Science and Engineering Fair.
White also has taken on a leadership role for the Southwest Space Settlement Design Competition, with his team of students from Willcox and Duncan winning first place in the 2018 International competition held at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
With all the honors and awards his students have received during his 10 years at Willcox High School, it was only fitting that he would be honored for making those opportunities possible. When the opportunity to apply for the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Chemical Society high school chemistry teacher of the year award was presented to him, he took the challenge. Submitting his portfolio, his philosophy of teaching and three letters of recommendation, White put his thoughts of winning aside as he continued to mentor his students.
Recently White learned he had won the Southern Arizona award. As the Southern Arizona winner, his application was submitted with the winners from Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona to the Rocky Mountain Region of American Chemical Society award committee. White again took the highest honor. He will now be competing against the top high school chemistry teachers from around the country for the national award.
“I was overwhelmed when I learned that I had won both titles,” White said. “There are a lot of really good chemistry teachers who put in a lot of time to help their students be successful. I’m grateful for this recognition but none of this would have been possible without the efforts of my students and colleagues who I work with. And this definitely wouldn’t have been possible with the support of my wife, Lori, who is always patient and tolerant when I would bring home the numerous projects my students and I were working on.”
White has been teaching science at Willcox High School since 2011. He has taught biology, chemistry and algebra Iⅈ this year his expertise centers around teaching chemistry and advanced chemistry. In addition to teaching, he coaches the Academic Team and sponsors the Gifted Club and the Science Club.
