2022 Loeb Prize winner Tanya Bergantz
Selvidge Middle School
2022 Loeb Price
For 27 years, The Loeb Prize has honored outstanding science and math educators in the St. Louis area who demonstrate
a passion to inspire learning.
Tanya Bergantz, from Selvidge Middle School, was awarded the Carol B. and Jerome T. Loeb Prize for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics at an event celebrating the finalists at the McDonnell Planetarium on May 12th.
This year’s event also honored J. Arthur Wilde, who teaches at Bayless High School, as the second place honoree. Other finalists included Andrew Davis from Saint Louis Priory School; Amie Grage from Hancock Place High School; and Sherri Johanns from Andrews Academy–Creve Coeur. All finalists received cash awards.
“This year’s nominated teachers are an extraordinary group of highly qualified and dedicated educators. They are masters of their subjects, technologically savvy, innovative in their classrooms, and consummate professionals. It is most rewarding to be able to recognize these outstanding teachers of tomorrow’s STEM leaders,” said Carol Loeb, a math teacher for 59 years, who along with her husband, the late Jerome T. Loeb, established the Loeb Prize in 1995 in partnership with the Saint Louis Science Center. Carol Loeb also serves on the Saint Louis Science Center’s Board of Trustees.
“We are proud of the longstanding partnership with the Loeb Family in recognizing and rewarding outstanding teachers dedicated to STEM education,” said Todd Bastean, president and CEO of the Saint Louis Science Center. “The Loeb Prize is one of the many ways we honor educators who share the mission of the Saint Louis Science Center – to ignite and sustain a lifelong interest in science and technology.”
Welcome Home, Community Partners!
Last year, collaborations with community partner organizations helped the YES Program reach 800 St. Louis community members through Pop-Up Science; reach 858 people through Summertime Science; and distribute 2,400 STEAM activity kits.
In March the Science Center’s Community Partners meeting returned to the Taylor Community Science Resource Center, home of the Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program. Things may have looked different with masks and social distancing, but after two years of virtual meetings it was hard to miss that the partners— and the Science Center’s Community Science team—were happy to see each other’s faces again.
Community Partners serve as an important part of the YES Program by helping to connect and collaborate with community organizations who share a commitment to equity in STEAM education, helping share new ideas and creating opportunities for the YES Teens to deliver impactful STEAM education experiences in communities typically underserved in science and technology learning.
In addition to hearing about upcoming STEAM activities like summertime field trip opportunities and the return of the Science Center’s Jr. Intern Program, the partners also received a commemorative coin with the message “Welcome Home, Community Partners!” Before breaking for lunch and a networking session, the partners got to see an assortment of science demonstrations from John Nahon, the Science Center’s Manager of Energy Stage and Earth Science, whose elephant toothpaste and electricity demos provided the perfect complement to the energy already in the air.
Saint Louis Science Center
Launches ROAR Esports League
The Saint Louis Science Center’s Esports Program is excited to launch a brand new, competitive gaming league in partnership with the Gateway Region YMCA.
The team is named the Saint Louis Science Center ROAR and provides an educational opportunity and competitive play twice a week for eight weeks; the first league opportunities began in April and ended in May.
Participants play against other gamers on local and national platforms in three games: Fortnite, Super Smash Bros. and Rocket League. Each team session is eight weeks long and includes onsite education, gaming practice, virtual competitions, a custom ROAR team jersey and trophy, plus 4 OMNIMAX® vouchers and 4 Planetarium vouchers.
Director of Guest Services Doug Stanze explained, “We hope to transition this into further league and competitive play opportunities, including chances for high schoolers to get involved, in the summer.”
Teams are made up of students ages 9-13. On Mondays the team members will meet onsite for education and practice; Wednesdays and Thursdays will be virtual competition days. During virtual competitions, Science Center staff will be available to assist with any technological issues that arise.
Competitors must have their own equipment, a reliable internet connection and updated versions of the games mentioned above, as well as an account on Discord. Cost for enrollment is $99 for nonmembers and $75 for members.
Anyone interested in enrolling their student in the Saint Louis ROAR Esports League should register over the phone by calling 314.289.4424. Contact esports@slsc.org with any questions.