3M honors Rock parent and school volunteer

• Michael Lewandowski, center, with Sandy Kovatch, left, and Rock Principal Amy Hamborg

Michael Lewandowski is a certified health physicist and manager with 3M Company in St. Paul as well as being an active parent volunteer at Rock Elementary. Lewandowski was honored recently with a 3M Community Volunteer Award for his work at the school which will receive a $1,000 donation to be used toward science equipment. Pictured with Lewandowski at the awards ceremony was Hudson School District Learning Services Director Sandy Kovatch, left, and Rock Principal Amy Hamborg. Submitted photo

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3M Company of St. Paul has honored Michael Lewandowski as one of 25 individuals nationwide to receive the 3M Community Volunteer Award.

According to the company, the award is given to “dedicated 3M employees and retirees who are devoted to improving and enriching their local communities.”

Lewandowski, whose children have attended Hudson Schools including Rock Elementary School, has participated in several 3M Science Encouragement activities during his career including working on 3M’s Teachers Working in Science and Technology (TWIST) Program. For the past three years he has chaired the program which brings science, math and technology teachers into 3M laboratories and manufacturing plants to work side by side with 3M scientists and engineers for six weeks during the summer.

He has also been involved with the 3M Visiting Wizards program, 3M’s Technical Teams Encouraging Career Horizons (TECH) and regional and national science teacher outreach activities with the Health Physics Society.

In recognition of the award and Lewandowski’s work, the 3M Foundation will donate $1,000 to Rock Elementary. At last week’s Hudson Board of Education meeting, Lewandowski said the money will be used to purchase computer-based lab equipment and experiments for the school.

Lewandowski told board members that he was “one of the disgruntled parents” whose student was asked to transfer from Hudson Prairie Elementary to Rock due to a boundary change two years ago. He credited Rock Principal Amy Hamborg for helping him “achieve an open mind” about the change.

“It turned out to be the best move for us. I know the change wasn’t necessarily made to benefit me but that’s how it turned out,” said Lewandowski.

He said the money will be used to give students hands-on technology experience that should increase their interest and knowledge of science. He said he also hoped the board would continue to support teacher development programs like TWIST.

Tags: elementary school, business, people