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A science teacher from Box Elder has been named as one of only ten in America to receive a prestigious education opportunity and classroom grant.

Melanie Schwarzbach, who teaches at Box Elder High School, was named as one of the ten teachers to be named as a Fellow by the the Society for Science & the Public (SSP). The teachers were selected for their unique plan to reach students in underserved communities and to inspire excellence in independent scientific research.

Each of the ten teachers will receive a $8,500 grant for their classroom and community, and an invitation to attend the Fellows Institute in July in Washington D.C. to continue their professional education.

Schwarzbach said, "My goal for this was to help my kids understand that they can be competitive regardless of economic status. And so I'm going to take the money and we're going to develop this program and what we're going to do is we're going to study the water quality of a reservoir on the reservation and hopefully get them involved in science research."

Governor Brian Schweitzer took note of her accomplishments, saying, “Innovative teachers like Ms. Schwarzbach are the key to sparking interest in careers in math and science. I thank Ms. Schwarzbach for going above and beyond to bring exciting research opportunities to her students.”

And praise also came from U.S. Senator Jon Tester, a former teacher, who said, “I congratulate Ms. Schwarzbach for her hard work and vision to promote science education in this part of Montana. Inspiring students to be interested in science and math is essential for students to succeed in school.”

Schwarzbach is currently on her way to the National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair in New Mexico with a group of students.

Here is the complete list of winners:
Marie A. Aloia – Bayonne High School, Bayonne, NJ
Anne Artz – The Pruess School UCSD, La Jolla, CA
Sydney Bergman – School Without Walls, Washington DC
Kathleen Dwyer – Maplewood Richmond Heights High School, Maplewood, MO
Randa Flinn – Northeast High School, Oakland Park, FL
Richard Anthony Fox – Charlestown High School, Charlestown, MA
Ashley A. Ivins – Carrizozo Municipal Schools, Carrizozo, NM
Michael Lampert – West Salem High School, Salem, OR
Tim B. Lundt – Mat-Su Career & Technical High School, Wasilla, AK
Melanie Schwarzbach- Box Elder High School, Box Elder, MT