Dear Reader, My name is Matt Sheick and I teach science at Forest Area High School in Fife Lake, MI.

After graduating from Alma College in 2007 with a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry, I did not initially know in what direction I wanted to take my career. I worked as a lab technologist in a pharmaceutical laboratory, as a field researcher studying birds, as a crew chief leading urban teens and as an outdoor education coordinator before I made the choice to merge my two greatest interests: science and working with youth. By early 2011, I knew I wanted to become a high school science teacher and I applied for and was awarded a W.K. Kellogg/Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship through Michigan State University. The goal of the program is to support individuals in transitioning from a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) background into a career as an educator by providing a stipend as the individual completes a teacher certification and masters program. It is through this alternative route that I entered the MATC program at Michigan State University in the summer of 2011. I completed my internship year at Cass Technical High School in Detroit and just finished my first full year at Forest Area. Forest Area High School is a very small, rural, high-needs school in Northern Lower Peninsula. About 220 students are currently enrolled, with over 60% of students receiving free or reduced lunch. Approximately 90% of students are Caucasian, 6% identify as Native American with the remaining students identifying as Hispanic, African American or other ethnicity. There is a great diversity of socio-economic situations from which the students come, but most would be considered low-middle class. Our small school fosters a family atmosphere and therefore makes communicating with students, parents and coworkers easier. I also served as the head coach of the varsity baseball team and was recently named athletic director. I love the students, my coworkers and administration and am given a great deal of freedom and support in my current position. As you peruse this portfolio, use the tabs on the top of the site to navigate through the pages. Here, youll find my MATC program plan, the goals and standards of the MATC program, several artifacts demonstrating those goals, my synthesis paper, resume and a summative review form. This portfolio serves to demonstrate my achievement of the MATC program goals and standards and I hope it shows my continual growth and development as an educator. Sincerely,

Matthew Paul Sheick MATC Portfolio Submission Summer 2013