Dad recognized for parenting skills, involvement

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

"He has a good sense of humor, he's very patient and he's a good instructor," said Calvert Middle School teacher Karen Stewart, who, along with Barstow Elementary School teacher Kelli Short, nominated Carroll for the 2009 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Award, for which he is one of 24 finalists.

Stewart explained she submitted Carroll's name after working with him on the First Lego League team at Calvert Middle School.

"Jim was very instrumental in getting Calvert Middle's first two Lego teams off the ground … he helped with the robot programming and the robot building; all the technical aspects for the Lego team," Stewart said of Carroll, who is an engineer with Naval Air Systems Command.

Stewart said that one of the aspects she particularly admired about Carroll's teaching skills was his ability to guide but also "step back and encourage the students to take risks.

"Not only did he work here at Calvert Middle School, but he helped promote and advertise this program throughout Calvert County," she said.

For Carroll, whose daughters Amanda, 14, and Erin, 10, attend Calvert Middle and Barstow Elementary respectively, this recognition had much more to do with promoting science, technology, engineering and math or STEM, than his own involvement in this initiative.

"I think the interest in the technology, engineering and math programs when they go into college is falling off," said Carroll adding that he is promoting these fields to younger age groups because "if they get more exposure to [STEM], they'll be more interested in following those careers when they get out of high school."

He said he has done school volunteer work ever since Amanda was a student at Mutual Elementary where he helped teach a hands-on science program and that he is thrilled with the growing interest levels in students.

"Some of the kids in the Calvert Middle School [Lego League] team are going to be pursuing engineering. Whether that has to do with my involvement, I don't know," Carroll said.

One of the middle schoolers is his daughter Amanda who said she and Erin are "very proud" of the recognition her dad has received, as both of them are member of their schools' Lego teams.

"He does a lot of work for our school for the students and he's very encouraging and funny and he gets along really well with all of the students," said Amanda, who added that her father makes Lego League practice interesting "when he bases it on real life situations."

"He is always there for me … and he's always willing to help me in whatever I need help with and I'm very grateful for that," Amanda said.

Carroll's wife Tina also volunteered for both Lego teams and said that the work she did with her husband "taught me a lot about science and to have an ever greater appreciation for our teachers."

Carroll said that whether a parent is interested in STEM or any other school-related aspect, their involvement is crucial.

"I think it's important to know what your kids are doing in school … to encourage kids to further their interests and to help in any way that you can," Carroll said.

The awards, which are a first time collaboration between Comcast and the Maryland State Department of Education, will be presented on May 8, during which five finalists and a statewide winner will be announced.

Tina Carroll said her family is cautiously optimistic.

"They keep asking Jim for more information so I'm not sure what that means," she laughed.

lbuck@somdnews.com