LAKEWOOD — The National Association of Biology Teachers, in conjunction with Prentice Hall and Leica Microsystems, is pleased to present Mike Fellows with the 2009 Outstanding Biology Teacher Award for Washington state. This honor, given annually since 1961, identifies a teacher from each of the United States, its possessions, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and Canada, who has made valuable contributions to the profession and to his or her students. Criteria for the award include teaching ability, experience, inventiveness, initiative, inherent teaching strengths and cooperativeness in the school and community.

Mike Fellows is a science teacher at Lakewood High School. His teaching career spans 21 years. He received his master’s degree in biology from Central Western Washington in 1992.  Students have described him as a teacher who cares deeply about them as individuals, and about their futures, while his peers have described him as a teacher who feels there is always more to be learned, from both his colleagues and his students. Fellows was deemed an instrumental instructor of other teachers, through the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s Science Education Partnership.

A special presentation will be given by the National Association of Biology Teachers at its National Professional Development Conference, Nov. 11-15 in Denver, Colo. In addition to the certificates awarded, Fellows will be presented with a precision pair of binoculars by Prentice Hall, and will also receive a microscope from Leica Microsystems.

The National Association of Biology Teachers issued a statement that it is extremely proud of Fellows, his accomplishments and the news of his award.

“Such accomplishments and awards should make not only Mr. Fellows’ school district, but also our state, proud,” said Mary Glodowski, director of the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award for Washington state. “The education community is richer for his contributions to students, teachers and parents.”