Chemistry teacher Nancy Treasure of Layton High School in Layton, Utah, will be honored June 20 by the world’s largest scientific society for outstanding high school chemistry teaching. She will be presented with the American Chemical Society Regional Award in High School Chemistry Teaching at the Society’s Northwest regional meeting in Spokane, Wash.
An educator with the Davis School District for more than 15 years, Treasure is known for tailoring her instruction to all ability levels so that, despite large class sizes, scientifically talented students stay interested and challenged and the rest of the class remains engaged.
"The challenge for chemistry teachers today is not only to teach those who are interested and competent in science, but to help all students become more scientifically literate," she says. "I want all my students to understand that chemistry is an important part of their lives and to help them have a basis for making decisions about their world."
Treasure, who chairs the science department, teaches advanced placement, honors and general chemistry. Her students boast an advanced placement "pass" rate of 80 to 85 percent. Several of her students are pursuing chemical education degrees at the University of Utah. For the last five years, she has coached the Layton High School Science Olympiad team, which has placed second four times and first once. She also advises the Layton High School Chemistry Club.
Treasure received her A.B. in education from Glenville State College in West Virginia in 1969 and began an M.S. degree program at the University of Utah in 2002. She resides in Layton, Utah.
The ACS Regional Award in High School Chemistry Teaching recognizes educators who challenge and inspire their students, provide high-quality instruction, and participate in extracurricular activities that stimulate young people’s interest in chemistry.