Thomas F. Hunt and Frank E. Waller- 2002 Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award Recipients

The recipients of the 2002 Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award were Thomas F. Hunt and Frank E. Waller. Mr. Hunt is the Director of Anywhere, Anytime Learning and a high school Latin Instructor at Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison, New Jersey. Mr. Waller is the Director of Management Information Systems, Middle and Secondary Education for the Jackson County School District in Marianna, Florida. Both winners were presented the award by Apollo 13 Astronaut Fred Haise in San Antonio at the National Educational Computing Conference on June 19, 2002.

 
Working in a technologically rich school, Thomas F. Hunt created and oversees Project Agora – a program that connects learning done at each grade level with general themes – and emphasizes technology use to accomplish the tasks identified by each Agora Day project. Project Agora uses wireless laptops, Smart Boards, and other technology to create learning problems for students, requiring that they research solutions in small groups and submit their findings and recommendations to their peers. 
 
Hunt also conducts training for school staff on new technologies including everything from how to use laptops through developing and executing Web Quests. 
 
Within a two year period, Hunt enabled Wardlaw-Hartridge to be showcased in the School Tech Expo Showcase of Exemplary Schools and was invited to discuss the change process and the Agora program both in New Jersey and nationally.
 
Hunt has motivated an entire school to not only use technology, but to implement technology into the curriculum and create a better learning environment. He is an innovator and technology advocate who is also a full-time Latin instructor.
 
Frank E. Waller created a regional technology training center (Teacher Training Institute of the South – TETRIS) which has over 1,500 software titles for teachers to preview before purchasing. TETRIS provides over 120 workshops annually and last year serviced 1,200 teachers from seventeen counties.

Mr. Waller implemented an annual two-week summer technology institute that provided over 45 concurrent sessions to allow over 250 teachers to participate. Frank also encouraged his district to hire a technology coordinator at each school within the district to coordinate the use of technology within the curriculum.

He was chosen by Technology and Learning magazine as its 2001 Technology Director of the Year and was given an award by the Florida Association of School Curriculum Directors (FASCD) for the Most Innovative Use of a Curriculum Project Involving Technology.

Frank Waller has positively influenced an entire district of almost 7,000 students with his management of hardware, software, computer networking, system support, curriculum integration, and teacher training. Mr. Waller has helped create new opportunities for students in an isolated, rural area through his support and implementation of technology.