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Liberty Middle Schools science star
Teacher’s emphasis on
lifelong learning earns
national recognition
By Lara Moore
Staff Writer
Don’t say “nerd” in Donna
Governor’s class.
The Liberty Middle School
science teacher puts a lot of
elbow grease into both the
minds and self-images of her
gifted students.
Governor, who recently
received the 2007 Presidential
Award for Excellence in
Mathematics and Science
Teaching, has a “star wall” to
help encourage her science and
math whiz kids.
“Every year my husband
and 1 go to Dragon ^Con and I
get as many autographs of stars
as I can afford,” Governor said.
She has the celebrities at
the annual Atlanta convention
for sci-fi and fantasy enthusi¬
asts sign their photos with
.. positive educational
thoughts. ''
“I thought it would be real¬
ly cool to have a star wall ...
and have them write messages
to my students,” Governor said.
The wall includes LeVar
Burton from “Star Trek” and
• - Reading Rainbow,” actresses
from “MythBusters,” Lou
Ferrigno from the 1970s “The
Incredible Hulk,” and cast
members of the Harry Potter
movie series.
The celebrities aren’t the
only stars in her room. The
black ceiling tiles have glow
in-the-dark constellations
arranged to reflect the night
sky.
“I like to create an environ¬
ment that’s fun, creative and
busy,” she said.
On a typical day, students
buzz around the room, working
Theatre’s second show set Civil War
By Jennifer Sami
Staff Writer
School may be out, but stu¬
dents still can learn history
this summer with the help of
some theatrical entertainment.
The Gypsy Theatre
Company’s production of
“Gone for a Soldier: Voices of
the American Civil War, * ■
offers a way for children to
learn about the bitter conflict
while being entertained.
The theater’s artistic direc¬
tor, who goes only by the
name Mercury, said the play is
geared toward children from
’ third through eighth grades,
but also is entertaining for
older children and adults.
It’s a great play that
shows both sides of the
American Civil War and I
think it’s a great opportunity
for children to see what it was
like,” he said. “The subject
matter is a great interest, par¬
ticularly in the South. •>
This is the theater compa¬
ny’s second production at the
Sawnee Mountain Preserve
Amphitheater. The first per¬
formance, “Festival of Cups,”
was a more cheerful produc¬
tion. In addition to entertain¬
ing younger audiences,
Mercury said, his goal is to
expose audiences to a variety
of genres and topics. “I think
it’s important that children see
all aspects of life,” he said.
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independently on labs, painting
solar system murals on white
shower curtains or drying
handmade construction paper.
Governor used the “sky n
setup for “sci-fi Fridays,” when
the children eat pizza, watch
sci-fi moves and gaze at the
stars.
She received the national
award, given to only 99 educa¬
tors, in part because of that
bond with students and sci
ence.
Administered by the
National Science Foundation,
it comes with a three-year edu¬
cational grant worth $10,000
and a free trip to Washington
D.C.
The award was established
in 1983 by the Education for
Economic Security Act for sci¬
ence and math teachers who
have made outstanding contri¬
butions to their schools.
“I had a lot of people tell
me for a long time that I
should apply for it,” said the
24-year teaching veteran, who
has served as the science chair
at Liberty and two years ago
established the school’s
Family Science night.
One of her students,
Michelle Hanilton, now at
North Forsyth High, nominat¬
ed Governor.
Nathan Smallwood, a
sixth-grader, said the award
was well deserved.
“She has a lot more labs
and they’re more fun instead
of textbook work,” he said.
Smallwood added that
Governor gives students extra
assignments, like participating
in the science fair.
“She’s a good leader,” he
said. “She does lead all the
subject matter in this area, it’s
a great production for them to
see, so they can learn what
happened in more serious
times, as well as through the
fun and lighthearted times.”
The play, written by
Atlanta playwright John
Stephens, has been performed
through metro area schools as
part of an outreach program.
Mercury said.
Since the majority of the
play is set outdoors, Mercury
said the amphitheater is the
ideal setting for the play and
“adds a lot to the production
value.” The two-man cast stars
Patrick Schambach of
Marietta and Cumming resi¬
dent Kane Miller.
Having only one other per¬
former on stage can be a chal¬
lenge, Miller said, “because
you’ve got less people to carry
the load.” There are, however,
some benefits, he said, includ¬
ing exposure.
Miller, who is 22, said he
is able to relate to his 15- to
18-year-old character. The
character’s age also helps stu¬
dents relate.
.. It’s also a short play,” he
said. “It’s a one-act that runs
about 40 to 45 minutes, so
we’ve got that going for us in
terms of younger attention
spans.
The play is approachable
and easy to digest and pres¬
ents a grand sweeping tale in a
short period of time, and I
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other teachers.”
For her part, Governor said
the award is not “just about the
teacher, it’s about the science
program in the schools.”
"Really what this is about
is recognizing the need for
good science programs in the
schools,” she said.
Her one hope for the stu¬
dents: stay engaged.
"1 want them to be lifelong
learners,” she said. “I’m 50
and I’m working on my doc¬
torate. But you never learn
anything really well until you
know it well enough to teach
it.”
In addition to winning a
Presidential Award, Governor
also was a regional middle
school finalist for Georgia
Science Teacher of the Year.
E-mail Lara Moore at
laramoore @forsythnews. com.
think it does it pretty well.”
Gypsy Theatre is a new
name to Forsyth County, but
Mercury said the company has
already signed on for several
productions at the Cumming
Playhouse in 2009. The next
show, “Steel Magnolias,” is
scheduled for January at the
playhouse.
“We have slated between
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five and eight shows a year
now,” Mercury said. “But as
we continue to grow, as the
community learns more about
us and as they hopefully enjoy
the productions that we pres¬
ent, we hope to continue to
bring more.”
E-mail Jennifer Sami at
je n n ife rsa m i @fo rsyth n e ws -
.com
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS r Sunday. June 1.2008
—
Above, Cayla Wheeler gets
help from science teacher
Donna Governor during a
sixth-grade science class
at Liberty Middle School.
Governor recently won a
national science award.
Left, Governor helps
LeeAnn Owens and Emma
Whitt make murals about
the solar system.
Photos/Emily Saunders
Contact
“Gone for a Soldier: Voices of the American Civil War,”
will run at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday
in June at the Sawnee Mountain Preserve Amphitheater,
2500 Bettis-Tribble Gap Road in Cumming. Tickets are
$15 for adults and $10 for senior citizens and children 17
and under. There will be a brief question/answer period
after each performance. For more information, visit
www.gypsytheatre.biz.
PAGE 5A