Keystone Oaks High School physics teacher Rebecca Hritz is one of 20 local teachers who have been selected to participate in the second annual CMU Physics Teachers Program. The goal of the program is to build connections between CMU’s Department of Physics and high school physics teachers in Pennsylvania to engage students and expose them to career opportunities in physics.
Ms. Hritz will participate in a week-long professional development program this summer, where she will receive resources to utilize in her classroom, network with CMU physicists, learn about career opportunities and education pathways, tour the university’s laboratories, and learn about ongoing physics research being conducted by CMU faculty.
“I am very excited to participate in this program and to expose my students to work that is being conducted at the university level," Ms. Hritz said. "My hope is that by experiencing the connections between their classroom learning and the real world, my students' eyes will be opened to all of the career possibilities in this field."
Ms. Hritz participated in the inaugural program in 2021, which was held virtually, and was intended for teachers to provide input as to how the program should be designed to support teachers and the needs in their classrooms.
“We are proud of Ms. Hritz’s leadership in developing this program and in providing this opportunity for Keystone Oaks students,” High School Principal Mr. Linnert said. “I am looking forward to seeing how the resources are utilized in the classroom as well as to how this program inspires our students.”