Deborah Thorp Lead, SD | K-6, Science, 2010

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

Deborah Thorp has taught sixth grade science at the Lead-Deadwood Middle School for the past 15 years. She also worked with the gifted program for the school district. Deborah has coordinated the Environmental Education Camp that sixth graders attend each year as part of the transition to middle school. She takes girls to the Women in Science Conference, which showcases careers for women. This year she is working with a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology on experiments with nanotechnology. Deborah has served in leadership roles within the district, including Curriculum and School Improvement Council member, Technology Committee member, and Education Association president. She has facilitated districtwide curriculum development. Deborah became part of the National Science Foundation grant program at Black Hills State University (BHSU), a professional development opportunity focusing on inquiry science instruction. She attended workshops at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, and she cofacilitated workshops for teachers on implementing inquiry science in their classrooms. Deborah has a B.S. in elementary education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, and she is completing a science specialist endorsement from BHSU. She is a certified elementary and middle school teacher.

• High-resolution version of the official portrait photograph
• Awardee holding Presidential certificate between OSTP Associate Director for Science Carl Wieman and NSF Deputy Director Cora Marrett.
• High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

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