Shelby Sayre of Chandler, a freshman at East Central University, has been named the second recipient of the Don and Jane Kellogg Mathematics and Science Teaching Scholarship at ECU.
Dr. Don Kellogg (right) holds the plaque bearing the name of Shelby Sayre (center), the second recipient of the Don and Jane Kellogg Math and Science Teaching Scholarship at East Central University. Dr. Bruce Weems (left), dean of the College of Health and Sciences, helped develop the guidelines for the scholarship. The Kelloggs established the scholarship to encourage young people to teach in the areas of math and science. Sayre, a freshman from Chandler, plans to become a math teacher.
The scholarship was established last year through the ECU Foundation Inc. to assist ECU students pursuing a degree in either mathematics or science teaching. Recipients receive $1,000 for their freshman year and $2,000 a year in subsequent years as long as they maintain a declared major in mathematics and/or science and enroll in courses leading to secondary teaching certification.
Sayre plans to teach math. She said she enjoyed her high school math classes because she realized she was really learning the subject. Because it did not come naturally to her, she said, she had to work to learn and appreciate math, and that will help her be a successful teacher.
"Math required me to try," she wrote in her application letter. "The combination of teachers and hard work I put forth brought about a talent and appreciation for the subject. I think if something comes naturally to a person, it is difficult to explain to another how it is done. However, if a person is taught how to do something, they can in turn teach another."
Dr. Don Kellogg and his wife Jane, who were active in teacher education in math and science before their retirements, established the scholarship "to help entice high quality young people to teach in the areas of math and science."
Kellogg retired in 1990 as a member of the Education Department but originally taught physics when he came to ECU in 1965. He also was instrumental in building a science teaching program at ECU.
Sayre is the daughter of Rex and Jennifer Sayre of Chandler.
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