The Society for Science has selected High Springs resident Wayne Oelfke, a middle school STEM teacher at Fort White High School, as one of 100 educators nationwide to join its Advocate Program. 

Oelfke will receive $3,000 to help guide students in science research and competitions. 

“With each additional year of teaching, I am always humbled by how simple and [effectively] the scientific method guides students through the nature of inquiry, by teaching them how to ask testable and effective questions,” Oelfke said in a press release. 

Oelfke has over 30 years of experience teaching science and agriculture, having participated in the NEWMAST program and the 1980s Teacher in Space Program at NASA. He is an experienced dairy farmer who integrates his knowledge of agriculture and science into his teaching. 

Working with project-based principles and practices, he helps students apply diverse interests to environmental concerns and solutions for increasing food production as the world’s population increases. 

“Just like a football or basketball coach, I find that with experience comes the knowledge of not just knowing how to help students achieve success in necessary skills, but by recognizing the spirit and self-excellence they can achieve by building upon it in life,” Oelfke said. “Thus, science and research does not always have the destination of just one final competition, but is a journey of building personal and professional relationships along the way like family and community, which include trust, support, collaboration and empathy for each other.” 

The Society for Science’s Advocate Program is intended to aid STEM teachers who work with underrepresented and low-income students. The program provides training, stipends and year-round support to the teachers to help them mentor students through research projects and science competitions. 

The program operates in one-year cycles, and each advocate aims to add a minimum of 3-5 additional students each cycle. 

“These educators are empowering students to explore, innovate and enter science competitions,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News, in a press release. “Their commitment is a testament to the transformative power of education, and we are thrilled to see the continued growth and impact of these programs.” 

According to the release, the program has supported 7,000 students, with 5,200 of those competing in science research competitions. Ten years ago, when the program began, it included nine teachers and has since grown to 100. 

During the 2023-2024 school year, 68% percent of student mentees participated in national and local science competitions, responsible overall for over 9,200 competition entries. Of those students, 90% came from low-income households, and 75% are of a race or ethnicity underrepresented in STEM. 

This year’s Advocate Program, which will award a total of $326,000 to the 100 teachers, is made possible by Arconic Foundation, Battelle, the Central Intelligence Agency, Intel Corporation and Regeneron.