RIO NORTE TEACHER FINALIST FOR AWARD.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Catherine Nicholas, a science teacher at Rio Norte Junior High School, is one of five finalists from California who will compete in November for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Nicholas, 42, is chairwoman of the science department at Rio Norte and coaches the school's award-winning Science Olympiad. She taught at Placerita and La Mesa junior high schools before coming to Rio Norte and twice has been named Science Teacher of the Year by the California League of Math and Science Teachers. She also has been Teacher of the Year at La Mesa and Rio Norte.

``I always knew that teaching was my calling,'' said Nicholas, who's been in the classroom for 18 years and credits her high school science teacher as her inspiration.

``I like teaching science at the junior high level because it's the first time students have had a chance to delve into science and get hands-on experience in a lab. They see it as fun and different from writing and math. I still learn so much about science, it's changing so fast. My goal is to make my students science-literate so they will understand current events and be educated voters on issues like cloning and stem cell research.''

As a finalist, Nicholas will represent the state in the competition that is the nation's highest teaching award. The winners will be announced in March 2006 by President George W. Bush.

``The exemplary work of these teachers is important now more than ever before as we begin to challenge kids with more difficult course work in order to prepare them for college or jobs of the future,'' Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction, said Thursday in a prepared statement. ``I commend them for their love of teaching, hard work and dedication that inspires kids to learn math and science.''

Finalists face a panel of scientists, mathematicians and educators, who select as many as 108 teachers to receive the Presidential Award. Winners receive a $10,000 award and an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for a series of recognition events.

Other California nominees are math teachers Margaret Cagle from Woodland Hills, Susan Schreibman Ford from Turlock and science teachers Caleb Cheung from Oakland and Susan Deemer from Redwood City. The 2005 nominees and 2004 winners will be recognized at a fall meeting of the State Board of Education in Sacramento.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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(color) Catherine Nicholas, a science teacher at Rio Norte Junior High, is one of five finalists from California nominated for a Presidential Award.

David Crane/Staff Photographer