DANBURY, CONN. — New York science teacher Natalie A. Morales has been noted as an inspiration to students and now she will teach other educators how to generate enthusiasm for learning in the classroom.

Morales, a doctoral candidate for the Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership at Western Connecticut State University, has been recognized as a master teacher by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. One of 105 math and science educators in the state to receive the honor, Morales teaches science at Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, N.Y.

The educators now have the job of assisting new teachers in the classroom in order to help them develop into the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teachers.

Regular meetings and training sessions are to be built into the program. For their efforts, the Master Teachers will receive an annual stipend of $15,000 over the next four years.

Last month, Morales was named a PDK Emerging Leader for her work integrating reading and writing skills into her science lessons as called for in the new Common Core State Standards.

“It is a great honor to be selected and recognized as a Master Teacher,” Morales said. “All of this would not be possible had I not been a doctoral student at WCSU. The Ed.D in Instructional Leadership Program has provided me with the knowledge for successful leadership, numerous opportunities to enhance my leadership and collaborative skills, and the development of my passion for advancing the field of education through written publications, educational research, and conference presentations.

“It is my hope and continued goal to use what I have learned and gained here at Western to continue educating our current and future generations of students, teachers and policy makers as agent of academic knowledge and change.”