Hector Ibarra
1998 Inductee
West Branch School District
middle school science
West Branch, Iowa
Total years as classroom teacher: 22
Hector Ibarra was born in the one-room schoolhouse in Mexico in which his mother taught.
Operation Appreciation is a community service projects, in which students learn the germination requirements of bulbs as they force tulip, hyacinths, and narcissus into flowering out of season and then surprise citizens in nursing homes and business personnel with the bouquets. His science programs have received a national award in each of the last four years. He has allowed over 100 schools and over 5,000 students to be involved in a project to design, build, and race miniature solar cars.
Light bulbs and water faucets become experimental equipment and living textbooks. He has developed software that enables his students to measure the energy and water consumption of these devices, and to estimate energy, monetary and pollution savings as a result of substituting more efficient methods. This award-winning project requires parents to be actively involved in helping their children with measurements, calculations, and verifications of the results.
"Through extracurricular activities, he has made science be a 'cool' thing for anyone with an interest, which as it turns out, is quite a diverse cross-section of the school." -- Paula Verlo, parent of one of Ibarra's students
Education
1998 | Completing Ph.D. coursework |
1992 | Master of Science |
1975 | University of Iowa, Bachelor of Science |
Career Experience
1980 - present | West Branch Middle School, 6th-8th grade science |
1976 - 1980 | New London Junior High School, 7th and 8th grade science |
Honors/Awards
2004 | Region VII Environmental Protection Agency National award |
2004 | President's Environmental Youth Award |
2004 | eCybermission national environmental award |
2004 | Disney Hand Educator Teacher award |
2004 | Fulbright Memorial Fund Master Teacher Program |
2003 | cEybermission national environmental award - 2nd place |
2003 | Semifinalists in Bayer NSF C0ommunity Issues award for Region 3 (7 states). |
2003 | Students fenalists in National Middle School Science Quiz Bowl, Golden, CO. |
2003 | Runner up - Iowa Teacher of the Year |
2003 | Fulbright Memorial Fund Master Teacher Program |
2002 | Semifinalists in Bayer NSF Community Issues award for Region 3 (7 states). |
2002 | Governor's Environmental Excellence award: Waste Management |
2002 | Publication: Ibarra, Hector. ShowBoard, Inc. Tampa. 2002. Solar Powered Racers: Racing with the Sun. |
2002 | USA Today First Teacher Team |
2002 | Christa McAuliffe Fellowship |
2002 | Finalist - Iowa Teacher of the Year |
2001 | National Science Teachers Association Distinguished Teaching Award |
2001 | Who's Who Among America's Teacher |
2000 | Finalist - Iowa Teacher of the Year |
2000 | Governor's (Iowa) Environmental Excellence leadership award |
2000 | State Farm Good Neighbor national award. 10 teachers selected. |
2000 | American Water Works Association National Award |
2000 | Who's Who Among America's Teachers |
2000 | EPA Region VII Environmental Educator of the Year for the state of Iowa |
1999 | West Branch Chamber of Commerce Community Member of the Year Award |
1999 | Finalist - Iowa Teacher of the Year |
1999 | Who's Who Among America's Teachers |
1999 | Community Advisor to the elementary (K-3) project selected as the First Place National Recipient in the Toshiba/NSTA Explora Vision Awards program. |
1999 | "Solar powered racers", Science Scope, March 1999; 22(9): 26-29. |
1998 | "Finding Common Ground", Science Scope, March 1998, 21(6): 54-56. |
1998 | "Balloon powered racers", Science Scope, Nov/Dec 1998; 22(3): 21-23. |
1997-98 | President, National Middle Level Science Teachers Association |
1997 | Fulbright Study Abroad: Japan |
1996 | National Wildlife Federation Conservation Educator |
1995 | NAGT Central Section Earth Science |
1994 | Gustav-Ohaus Innovations Award |
1993 | Presidential Science Teaching Award |
1993 | Milken National Educator Award |
1993 | Governor’s Commission Involvement Award |
1992 | Fulbright Study Abroad: Russia |
1991 | IAS Excellence in Teaching Award |