A space for innovation

A Huntington Beach resident and Ocean View school district teacher has been named a finalist for a prestigious national award for creating her own cable television program on space exploration.

Leslie Flores, who teaches at Star View Elementary School in Midway City, was selected by Time Warner Cable and Cable in the Classroom, the cable industry’s education foundation, as a finalist for the 2009 Cable’s Leaders in Learning Awards. The annual awards program, now in its fifth year, recognizes outstanding innovation in education.

“My students have been taught real-life lessons through hands-on experiences,” Flores said. “In turn, they have become experts in their learning.”

Flores will join 46 other finalists in an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., that will culminate in an awards ceremony and luncheon in honor of the winners, who will be named in May. She also will receive a $3,000 prize.

Winners will be selected from categories including General Excellence, Media Literacy Education and Cable Partnerships for Learning.

Flores’ application was selected from those sent by teachers, administrators, college faculty and community leaders from around the country, Time Warner Cable executives said.

Her cable program, “Looking to the Future — Exploring Space,” helps students build their own space rockets and listen to live conversations between NASA Mission Control in Houston and astronauts in space.

“In an era where 21st Century learning skills are crucial to young people becoming highly productive and responsible citizens, we are pleased to recognize individuals who have innovatively and creatively figured out ways to move closer to this goal,” Cable in the Classroom Director of Education and Media Literacy Frank Gallagher said in a news release. The foundation was created in 1989 to help schools take advantage of cable programming for education.

“Flores’ efforts are a prime example of the sorts of educational leadership and vision the cable industry is proud to honor.”

“We congratulate Leslie Flores for being named a Cable’s Leaders in Learning Award finalist. She demonstrates a great passion and excitement in finding ways to educate and prepare young students for the future. This sort of commitment is one that Time Warner Cable shares and applauds,” Stephen Pagano, Time Warner Cable West Region executive vice president, said in a news release.

For more information, visit leadersinlearningawards.org.

Reporter CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (714) 966-4631 or at [email protected].