The Presidential Award would not only give merit to, but would also be a springboard for, my future teaching efforts. My goal as a teacher is to ignite the spark for students to study science. In order to accomplish this goal, I have to continue learning because science changes almost daily through technological advances. Attaining the award would be the greatest honor of my career, as it is the most prestigious award a Science or Math teacher can receive in the United States.

Megan McCall Fairhope, AL | 7-12, Science, 2009

The official biography below was current at the time of the award. For this awardee's latest biographical information, see their profile page.

Megan O’Neill has taught science at Fairhope High School for 7 years and currently teaches Aquascience to grades 10-12. Megan's students raise native plant and fish species in recirculating aquaculture systems. She recently secured grants for a program, Saving Our Shores and Seas, in which her students work with local officials to conduct habitat restorations along Mobile Bay using species grown in class. Megan was selected as an Armada Teacher through the University of Rhode Island Office of Marine Programs (www.armadaproject.org) in 2007. The program, which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, connects teachers with scientists in the field to bring real science back to the classroom. In 2007, Megan studied with scientists in the Arctic conducting seafloor mapping; she studied icefish and tagged humpback whales with scientists in Antarctica in 2009. She has also worked as an environmental consultant. Megan has a B.S. in Environmental Science from the School of Engineering at Auburn University and a master's degree, summa cum laude, in Secondary Education from the University of South Alabama. She attained National Board Certification for science education in 2006.

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