Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel congratulated South Orangetown Central School District teacher Jacob Tanenbaum for taking part in the “Teacher at Sea” program from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Mr. Tanenbaum is a technology teacher for William O. Schaefer Elementary School in Tappan and Cottage Lane Elementary School in Blauvelt.

“It was with great pleasure that I presented Mr. Tanenbaum with a framed copy of the Congressional Record, which contained remarks congratulating him on his fantastic achievement. The dedication of teachers like Jacob, and school districts like South Orangetown Central, helps foster creative learning in New York and throughout the United States, engendering in our children a curiosity in the world around them,” said Rep. Engel.

The mission of the NOAA “Teacher at Sea” program is to give teachers a clearer insight into our oceans, a greater understanding of maritime work and studies, and to increase their level of environmental literacy by fostering an interdisciplinary research experience. Mr. Tanenbaum’s experiences aboard the NOAA Ship “Henry B. Bigelow” were featured in the recent NOAA Teacher at Sea book, which focuses on the importance of Eastern Seaboard fisheries.

Rep. Engel added, “What I found very interesting was that Mr. Tanenbaum’s expertise with technology enabled him to keep his students involved to a point where they were almost a part of the trip. He used blogs, video, photos and daily emails to keep them a part of the experience. The two weeks of this trip likely taught the students more than they would ever get from a simple test.”

Since the program’s inception in 1990, more than 530 teachers have taken part and experience first-hand life at sea and the scientific research taking place there every day. The scientists on the “Bigelow” conducted a bottom trawl survey, an overall assessment of the numbers and kinds of marine life that are on the bottom of the sea along the northeast United States. Because the survey has been done for over forty years, scientists can look back and see how the environment changes over time.

“Mr. Tanenbaum exemplifies how a teacher can make a difference in the lives of young students, and I am proud to see him receive this recognition,” said Rep. Engel.