Health Science teacher Nancy Lakvold recently won the Health Science Master teacher selection, an intensive hand on institute focused on classroom strategies for student engagement. The two and a half day institute, only offered to three people in the state of Texas, gives teachers the opportunity to share their knowledge about being a Health Science teacher.

“I don’t even look at it necessarily as an award,” Lakvold said. “I look at it more as a recognition of my experience, but to be able to go back to fellow teachers within the state of Texas, fellow health science teachers and to be able to share the information that I’ve learned from the institute and maybe be a resource for those people.”

Lakvold was given this award for being considered a leader among teachers in the Health Science program by the National Consortium for Health Science Education.

“You know when you have a group of Health Science teachers together, she’s always that strong leader in that group and she’s always helping other Health Science teachers too, not [only in] this school district, but in other school districts as well,” director of CTE Becky Hunt said.

Lakvold has been working at Allen for about 10 years but has been a registered nurse for more than 20 years, working in several places like labor and delivery, public health and quality improvement.

“That’s one of the advantages of nursing, you don’t get pigeon holed into just one area, and you can experience different things,” Lakvold said.

In addition to teaching the Health Science program, Lakvold sponsors the Health Occupations Students of America program that highlights career opportunities in the health care profession.

“[Lakvold’s] classroom [is] very hands on.” senior Brianna Basinger said. “Mrs. Lakvold gives us a lot of experience. It’s just not like we are learning by the book because nothing is textbook in the medical field. You learn stuff by textbook, but it’s [learning those experiences] and those stories that really help you be prepared for the medical field.”

Lakvold won the award in October and will start her training in early November.

story by Laura Pitts //staff writer