07/27/2018 –
NM MESA has selected recipients of the 2018 Dr. Arthur H. and Joan Guenther Advisor Achievement Award. Luisa Castillo and Aleli Colon are this year’s outstanding MESA advisors! Each of these two fine educators will receive $100 from MESA, which will be presented to them by the MESA’s Guenther Award committee.
Aleli Colon teaches at Van Buren Middle School in Albuquerque and consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to provide meaningful experiences for her students. According to Kim Scheerer, MESA’s Central Inner Regional Coordinator, Aleli “patiently works as a MESA mentor and leader in her school. She engages her students in multiple activities and is great with communication. She can always be counted on to show at regional MESA events!”
Luisa Castillo will be beginning her 17th year as a MESA advisor at West Mesa High School in Albuquerque. “She gives her time, intention, love and attention to her students every single day,” says Nicholas Kunz, MESA’s North Central Regional Coordinator. “Luisa’s students love going to MESA meetings in her room because they always have work to do and an agenda packed full of great projects, activities, service learning ideas and more.”
Selection of award recipients was based on performance and demonstrated excellence in STEM education. This year’s recipients were selected after a committee’s review of specific MESA activity data relating to selection criteria.
About the Dr. Arthur and Joan Guenther Advisor Achievement Award
Dr. Arthur H. Guenther loved science…He loved education…He created New Mexico MESA in 1982. As a research professor of electrical and computer engineering, professor of physics and astronomy at UNM, and Chief Scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory, he was an advisor and mentor to hundreds of graduate students, and advisor to the Governor of New Mexico. He wanted to influence the lives of high school students in New Mexico who were interested in a bright future in STEM careers, so he worked with university representatives and state and federal government officials to bring the MESA program to New Mexico. He subsequently spent many years working as a MESA Board Member and Board Member Emeritus. His wife, Joan Guenther supported MESA in countless ways over the many years she was involved and played an important role in the success of the organization and its staff.
NM MESA has established the Dr. Arthur H. and Joan Guenther Advisor Achievement Award with the expressed goal of honoring the legacy of Dr. Guenther and his wife, while simultaneously recognizing the wonderful and important work done by MESA advisors who perpetuate Dr. Guenther’s vision each year.
