This award is not mine alone. I share it with a community of educators, professionals, students, and families who tirelessly support and inspire me to become a fuller human being and educator. School on Wheels Alternative High School is a unique institution where young people learn to live in a more meaningful way, to follow their dreams no matter what, and to become engaged citizens in our world. This award shows that education is truly about students' growth.

Vincent Case Albuquerque, NM | 7-12, Science, 2009

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Vince Case has taught for 15 years, the past 10 years at School on Wheels Alternative High School. Recently, he became an outdoor educator at the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center. At School on Wheels, Vince implemented an experiential curriculum that integrates literacy, citizenship, and inquiry-based science. In partnership with the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program, New Mexico Watershed Watch, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, students collect and analyze ecological data on the Rio Grande, Bosque, and acequia systems. His students also designed a 5,000-square-foot xeriscape for their campus. Students have presented to peers and educators at the Albuquerque Children’s Water Festival, Youth Conference on the Environment, Coalition of Essential Schools, North American Association of Environmental Education, and Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. Vince and his students have also published several articles in the local media. Vince has a B.A. in Philosophy with a minor in Biology from the University of Delaware and an M.A. in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies from the University of New Mexico. He mentored colleagues in action research methods while conducting an original research thesis. He is certified in secondary science, mathematics, and social studies.

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