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Sally was born in Denver, CO and was known for her vibrant personality.  She was a lifelong outdoors enthusiast, scientist and gifted artist.  She was married to George Tague and they have 3 sons.

Sally received her BA degree from Western State College in Gunnison in 1971, with a Major in Biology and Minors in Math and Art.  In addition, she earned a Colorado Type A teaching certificate.  Teaching jobs were scarce at that time, so she took a substitute job teaching science in middle/ high schools in Denver and Jefferson County for several years.  Sally earned her Masters’ Degree from CU Denver in 2001.

Sally was passionate about teaching, and she had a different idea of what effective instruction could be.  If students could actually experience science, she believed it would be more meaningful to them.  “Hands On Science” is exactly that, where students get to touch and feel experiments, ask questions and expand their curiosity.  It teaches children critical thinking skills, problem solving and enthusiasm about learning.

In 1990 the AMOCO Foundation announced funding for Science programs in Elementary Education, and schools across the USA could apply for a grant.  Sally seized the moment!  The program included “Hands On Science” in the classrooms.  AMOCO provided some curriculum, funding for experiment materials and info for training the trainer, the classroom teacher and participating parent volunteers who were required for every session.  The model paired 5 students per parent volunteer who came to the school early to receive training on that day’s experiment.  These small groups of students facilitated greater learning opportunities for even reluctant learners.   The experiments involved everything from fossils, to frogs, magnets to levers to dissections and more.   Sallys’ enthusiasm and science curiosity as the Science teacher and “trainer” inspired her peers and students alike and the project was very well received.  The “Hands On Science” program which initially started in Park Hill and Philips Elementary schools in Denver grew and spread.  Via the involvement of Sallys’ three biological sisters, Hands On Science programs were experienced by students in Gallup NM, Lakewood and Boulder Colorado and eventually in Ethiopia Africa.

Sally continued this “Hands on Science” program in Denver Public Schools, (DPS), long after the AMOCO funding ended.    She added more curriculum and her vision subsequently became a new, unique-to-DPS, program called “Distance Learning”.   Sally led the lessons live over closed-circuit TV from the studio in DPS, and it was delivered remotely to schools.   Prior to each lesson, she delivered kits of experiment supplies and instructions to the elementary schools all over the district.  Parent volunteers helped in each school to carry out the actual experiments in small groups.  This program was also very successful.

Sallys’ efforts were formally acknowledged.  In 1997 Sally received the National Science Foundation Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, representing the State of Colorado.

In addition, the success of the “Hands on Science” experiment that Sally developed for Kindergarten and First graders, called “Getting Soaked”, earned her the honor of National Science Teacher of the Year in 2002.   She traveled to Washington D.C. to receive her award.

Following in her footsteps, one of her sons earned his degree in Environmental Science from CU Boulder, and her family encourages scholarship applicants to consider this direction or one in Science Education.

The Sally Tague Memorial Scholarship is meant to encourage future inspirational educators. Many thanks go to Sally’s good friend, and co-teacher in DPS Science department for creating and funding it.

Best wishes to applicants of this scholarship, and to those professionals who assist them.

More Info About the Sally Tague Memorial Scholarship Fund in Science and Mathematics

Award amount is dependent on available funds. Awards are for the full academic year and are made in the spring of the previous year.

Scholarship criteria: Must be an undergraduate or graduate student at SEHD. Candidates shall be at a minimum second year students who have a proven track record of working with children in the classroom and have an exceptional ability and interest in mathematics and the sciences. Candidates must have a documented financial need. Candidates must be students who will contribute to diversity in the school community through their backgrounds and experiences. Candidates should: value education and have a strong desire to learn and teach; relate well to diverse students; be passionate, positive, energetic, creative and enthusiastic. GPA must be 3.0 or higher. Candidates are required to provide a letter of reference that includes observations of teaching or interacting with children/youth. A resume is required. Award funds may be used for tuition and books.