PESA President Leslie Beyer presented the 2018 IPAA/PESA Teacher of the Year award to Laurie Schlaudt, Lead Teacher, Westside High School IPAA/PESA Petroleum Academy in Houston.
On February 5, PESA President Leslie Beyer presented the 2018 IPAA/PESA Teacher of the Year award to Laurie Schlaudt, Lead Teacher, Westside High School IPAA/PESA Petroleum Academy in Houston. Each year an award is made to an exceptional educator involved with the IPAA/PESA Petroleum Academy Program. The purpose of the award is to recognize outstanding Academy campus personnel who demonstrate excellence and a commitment to the Academy program on their campus.
This is Schlaudt’s fourth year at Westside High School. As a former engineer at Shell, Schlaudt is careful in her teaching methods, ensuring that her students understand their assignments and projects. Through her ideas and efforts, the program engages students in real-world, project-based learning so that they are prepared to take on engineering tasks before graduating from Westside. Students often share of how they routinely see the links between their engineering course and math and science courses.
Schlaudt also prepares her students for competitions. In the competitive and stimulating Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Technology Challenge, Westside teams won 1st place in the initial 2016 year and 2nd place in the 2017 competition. She dedicates many hours to making sure that students use their critical thinking skills to prepare for regional Vex robotics and all the IPAA/PESA competitions.
IPAA/PESA Energy Education Center Students
Due to her engineering and teaching career prior to teaching at Westside, Schlaudt has experience which allows her to see the big picture while she is working to prepare her students for their future studies and careers in engineering.
PESA is proud to support teachers like Schlaudt, and their contributions to STEM Education.