Heathrow Elementary
Lake Mary, Florida
Student Team Biographies
Alexander is 9 years old and is in third grade. He was born in Orlando, FL. He
has a sister in 1st grade. His favorite subjects are Math and Science. For fun
he likes to play golf and has just started taking guitar lessons. When he grows
up he wants to be a professional golfer.
has a sister in 1st grade. His favorite subjects are Math and Science. For fun
he likes to play golf and has just started taking guitar lessons. When he grows
up he wants to be a professional golfer.
Avery was born in Orlando FL, and is in 3rd grade. She enjoys reading in her free time. Harry Potter books are her favorite. She plays the piano and tennis. At first she was worried about doing ISTF, but she learned to love it. She believes that because they tried their best that makes her team winners. Avery wants to be a vet when she grows up.
Ernest was born 2004 in Brandon FL. He is 9 years old and is in third grade. His favorite subject
is math. What he likes to do at home is ride his bike and play with his friends. When he grows up, he wants to be an engineer. He thinks the Bear, Bear, Go Away project has come a long way.
is math. What he likes to do at home is ride his bike and play with his friends. When he grows up, he wants to be an engineer. He thinks the Bear, Bear, Go Away project has come a long way.
Elijah was born in Orlando, Florida in 2005. He is 9 years old and is in third grade. His favorite subject is math. He enjoys reading and drawing too. He loves sports such as football and basketball, and he plays them too. He loves riding his bike with his family on the trail. ISTF
helped him learn more about how to make a website.
helped him learn more about how to make a website.
Jaiden is in 3rd grade. She likes to play with her friends outside in her free time. Jaiden was wondering what ISTF
is at first and then she loved it! Jaiden likes the idea of the ‘’Bear, Bear, Go Away’’ project and thinks it’s very educational. Jaiden was born in Orlando FL. During the week Jaiden does soccer on Monday and Saturday, gymnastics on Tuesday, music on Wednesday, girl scouts on Thursday, and dance on Friday. Jaiden has lots
of stuff in her life.
is at first and then she loved it! Jaiden likes the idea of the ‘’Bear, Bear, Go Away’’ project and thinks it’s very educational. Jaiden was born in Orlando FL. During the week Jaiden does soccer on Monday and Saturday, gymnastics on Tuesday, music on Wednesday, girl scouts on Thursday, and dance on Friday. Jaiden has lots
of stuff in her life.
Luke was born in 2005 in Boca Raton, Florida. He is now 8 years old. His favorite sport is basketball, and his favorite subject is math. When Luke grows up, he wants to be a professional basketball player. Luke thinks the Bear, Bear, Go Away is a good project, and it has helped him learn a lot.
Rahma was born in Saudi Arabia. She is 9 and is in 3rd grade. She enjoys reading and playing sports in her free time. Although Rahma was worried about trying ISTF, she learned to love it.
Rahma wants to be a Dermatologist when she grows up.
Rahma wants to be a Dermatologist when she grows up.
Rayyan was born on 2005 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His favorite books are chapter books,
like Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and the Percy Jackson series by Rick Rordan. He has learned many things from ISTF. He likes sleeping in his comfy bed rather than playing outside.
like Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and the Percy Jackson series by Rick Rordan. He has learned many things from ISTF. He likes sleeping in his comfy bed rather than playing outside.
Thaddeus was born in Texas in 2004. He loves the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. He is signed up for Hockey at the RDV sports complex, and he likes to play NCAA Football on the Wii.
Thaddeus wants to be an FBI agent when he grows up. He thinks that the Bear, Bear, Go Away project has come a long way. ISTF has helped him learn about the great outdoors. Thaddeus
is a smart kid and likes to be creative. He takes good care of his pet Guinea Pig and is very responsible. Thaddeus is a happy kid and likes to play outdoors. He is a good friend to all.
Thaddeus wants to be an FBI agent when he grows up. He thinks that the Bear, Bear, Go Away project has come a long way. ISTF has helped him learn about the great outdoors. Thaddeus
is a smart kid and likes to be creative. He takes good care of his pet Guinea Pig and is very responsible. Thaddeus is a happy kid and likes to play outdoors. He is a good friend to all.
Team Mentors
Eric Hellgren, Professor and Chair of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida
His job is to direct and help students and faculty in his department learn, teach,
and do research on wildlife issues in Florida, other parts of the United States,
and even in other countries. He has been a faculty member at the University of Florida for 25 years
and decided to be a scientist because of a long camping trip he took after 8th grade. The trip was a
driving trip from south Florida to Alaska! It took the entire summer, and he got to see more 20 national
parks on the trip.
Anne Hall, Project Manager Lockheed Martin Corp, Team Technical Advisor
She is a project manager who designs and implements Information Systems for Lockheed.
Her trade is systems engineer, and she has been an engineer for 10 years. She likes to build things
and make things happen.
His job is to direct and help students and faculty in his department learn, teach,
and do research on wildlife issues in Florida, other parts of the United States,
and even in other countries. He has been a faculty member at the University of Florida for 25 years
and decided to be a scientist because of a long camping trip he took after 8th grade. The trip was a
driving trip from south Florida to Alaska! It took the entire summer, and he got to see more 20 national
parks on the trip.
Anne Hall, Project Manager Lockheed Martin Corp, Team Technical Advisor
She is a project manager who designs and implements Information Systems for Lockheed.
Her trade is systems engineer, and she has been an engineer for 10 years. She likes to build things
and make things happen.
Team Teacher
Mrs. Wall-Townsend was born in Orlando, Florida, on July 25, 1953, and first left when she was
seven weeks old. Her father was in the Air Force and the family traveled extensively during the 1950’s and
60’s. She went to 12 schools in 12 years, in four different states, Florida, Texas, Alaska, and Michigan, then back
to Texas and Florida again. However, she did get to visit Florida during this time as her grandparents on both sides resided in Central Florida. Although she hated to move so much, she always grew to love each new
place she went.
After her mother died in 1969, the family returned to Central Florida. In 1974, Mrs. Wall-Townsend earned an AA Degree in Theatre from Seminole Junior College (now Seminole State College), and in 1977, she received a BA Degree in Theatre from Florida Technological University (now UCF). She continued her graduate work at the
University of Central Florida and in 1981, earned an MA in English.
After ten years of college in Central Florida, she immediately began teaching at a private vocational school and at Jones High School. In 1983, she began teaching at Lake Howell High School in Seminole County. She earned her Professional Teacher’s Certificate and added Gifted Certification within the first three years of teaching, and has been teaching gifted classes and several other subjects ever since. More recently, she added Elementary Education to her certificate. She has taught Gifted English at the High School and Middle School levels as well as Advanced Academics (aka Gifted Resource) at both the Middle School and Elementary levels. She also taught at Seminole Community College for 18 years.
During summers, she is a Master Teacher–Mentor for the SECME Summer Institute providing Teacher Training for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at various universities around the country. She also mentors SECME Coordinators throughout the year and conducts phone trainings for the ISTF.
Currently, she is a Gifted Resource teacher at Heathrow Elementary in Lake Mary, FL, and serves as a Coordinator and Coach for Odyssey of the Mind and SECME. She lives in Sanford, Florida, with her husband, has two daughters, and recently acquired a son-in-law. Among other avocations, she volunteers with Celery Soup, a community
non-profit organization that produces plays based on the stories of Sanford and Seminole County, Florida.
She is very pleased with the wonderful learning opportunity ISTF participation provides. She loves to see her students’ sense of self-satisfaction arise from successfully completing something difficult they endeavored to accomplish.
seven weeks old. Her father was in the Air Force and the family traveled extensively during the 1950’s and
60’s. She went to 12 schools in 12 years, in four different states, Florida, Texas, Alaska, and Michigan, then back
to Texas and Florida again. However, she did get to visit Florida during this time as her grandparents on both sides resided in Central Florida. Although she hated to move so much, she always grew to love each new
place she went.
After her mother died in 1969, the family returned to Central Florida. In 1974, Mrs. Wall-Townsend earned an AA Degree in Theatre from Seminole Junior College (now Seminole State College), and in 1977, she received a BA Degree in Theatre from Florida Technological University (now UCF). She continued her graduate work at the
University of Central Florida and in 1981, earned an MA in English.
After ten years of college in Central Florida, she immediately began teaching at a private vocational school and at Jones High School. In 1983, she began teaching at Lake Howell High School in Seminole County. She earned her Professional Teacher’s Certificate and added Gifted Certification within the first three years of teaching, and has been teaching gifted classes and several other subjects ever since. More recently, she added Elementary Education to her certificate. She has taught Gifted English at the High School and Middle School levels as well as Advanced Academics (aka Gifted Resource) at both the Middle School and Elementary levels. She also taught at Seminole Community College for 18 years.
During summers, she is a Master Teacher–Mentor for the SECME Summer Institute providing Teacher Training for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at various universities around the country. She also mentors SECME Coordinators throughout the year and conducts phone trainings for the ISTF.
Currently, she is a Gifted Resource teacher at Heathrow Elementary in Lake Mary, FL, and serves as a Coordinator and Coach for Odyssey of the Mind and SECME. She lives in Sanford, Florida, with her husband, has two daughters, and recently acquired a son-in-law. Among other avocations, she volunteers with Celery Soup, a community
non-profit organization that produces plays based on the stories of Sanford and Seminole County, Florida.
She is very pleased with the wonderful learning opportunity ISTF participation provides. She loves to see her students’ sense of self-satisfaction arise from successfully completing something difficult they endeavored to accomplish.