Brief Biographies of the
Scholarship Honorees
Back to the Donation Form | Back to the Home Page - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Biographies below are still a work-in-progress. If you have any additional information about any of them, please send it to Roy-Coleman@outlook.com Last update 4//222/2026 |
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Luba
Johnson Luba Johnson started as an
elementary/middle school science teacher. She went on
to become the CPS Area Science Coordinator. Luba
loved education and science and shared that love with
all of the students she worked with. Luba was a
long time Science Fair supporter and worker holding
various positions and tirelessly used her talents to
support CPS students and educators in various STEM
activities. Among her many positions with CSSF, she
was Regional Science Fair Coordinator, Treasurer, CPS
Liaison, liaison with the city-wide host
institution, Executive Director, Safety
Committee, Scholarship Committee, Symposium Coordinator and liaison of both ComEd and Peoples Gas Science Clubs. Luba was the Publications committee chairperson and oversaw the production and publication of all of the printed materials including the Handbook, the Regional Program books, the City-wide Program book and the endorsements, to name a few. --------- Luba's enthusiasm, encouragement, passion and life-long commitment to education inspired everyone she touched. She was also a valued friend to many.
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Melanie
Wojtulewicz Melanie
Wojtulewicz started her career in the late 1960's as
a High School Biology teacher. In 1975 she
applied for a position at a new school being built
in Chicago's West Loop. Melanie was accepted
as part of the inaugural faculty at Whitney Young
Magnet High School. Early in her career she realized
the value and importance of the Chicago Public
Schools Student Science Fair. During her outstanding
participation with the Chicago Public Schools
Student Science Fair, Inc., Melanie served as
Executive Director (1996-2026); Fund Solicitation
Committee member (1996-2006); Illinois Junior
Academy of Science Committee member (1984-2006);
Nominating Committee member (2006-2017}; Scholarship
Committee member (1991-2017);
Communications/Credentials Committee member
(1994-2005); and Archives Chairperson. Melanie
was noted for getting things done. She also
maintained an 'alternate warehouse' in her garage
that allowed teachers looking for small quantities
of Science Fair materials or supplies to obtain them
without going through the sometimes long and winding
'official' channels. Having observed that the
scissors used annually for the ribbon cutting
ceremony belonged to the Museum of Science and
Industry, Melanie used her own money to purchase a
huge pair of gold scissors and donated them to the
Chicago Public Schools Student Science Fair, Inc. Melanie was also instrumental
in attracting the famous and powerful to speak at
the Science Fair's Citywide Fair at the Museum of
Science and Industry. Mayor Richard M.
Daley, Chicago's First Lady Maggie Daley, Paul
Vallas and Arne Duncan are just a few that opened
the Fair.
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Anthony (Tony) Crowe
 Tony graduated from Kelly High School in 1965. He went on to Chicago Teachers College (now Chicago State University) and received a B.S.Ed. in Mathematics Education. He received a master’s degree in mathematics from DePaul University. His first teaching assignment was at Gage Park High School, then in 1981 he transferred to Lane Tech. He later worked in a Regional Office under the Chicago Systemic Initiative (a National Science Foundation Grant to CPS). His final assignment was as the Professor of Record under a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. Here he ran the Museum Partners Science Program whereby teachers could take courses and receive their science endorsement at over 50 museums, zoos, botanic gardens and science centers. Tony began his work with the CPS Student Science Fair, Inc. on the Exhibits Committee. He later took over the role of Treasurer for many years. He was also the Committee Chair of the International Science and Engineering Fair and a perennial supporter of the Science Fair Scholarship Fund. Tony passed away of March 27, 2022. He was 74 years old. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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Henry Rosenbaum
As a high school student,
Henry participated in the very first Chicago
Public School’s Student Science Fair (CPSSSF) in
1950. After graduation he attended Chicago
Teacher’s College North (now Northeastern Illinois
University) majoring in biology with a minor in
education. Henry
then started a career of almost 4 decades as a
biology teacher for the Chicago Board of Education
at Von Steuben High School. Duringthis teaching career he received
many awards including the Presidential Award for
Excellence in Science Teaching. He
was a strong supporter of the CPSSSF and held many
positions, including President and Executive
Director. Henry
and his wife were involved in many new and
innovative changes to the background activities of CPSSSF.
He was instrumental in
recruiting one of his students to computerize the
judging procedure, replacing 3x5 note cards and
manual scoring with a Compaq luggable, TurboPascal
and 5.25“ floppy disks. (Do you remember those?). Various
upgrades to that basic system were used for almost
20 years. In his later years he and his wife
Dolores, were actively involved with fund-raising
and obtaining financial support for the activities
of the Chicago Public School’s Student Science Fair.
Dolores Rosenbaum Dolores became the fund raiser for CSSF in the 1980s and continued for about 10 years. She raised tens of thousands of dollars and numerous university scholarships each year and devoted hundreds of hours to CSSF. In addition, she started and ran "Friends of Science Fair", a committee of one that sold memorabilia to students and family members during the Fair. Between 1965 and 2010 she was an active behind the scene participant and a big help to many of the committees. Dolores was the wife of one of the first exhibitors in the debut 1951 fair. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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| Harold Kiehm Harold Kiehm was a long time biology teacher at and Principal of Von Steuben H. S. He served MANY years on CSSF committees & all of the officer positions, including Executive Chair. Harold created some of the CSSF committees and always looked for ways to improve the operation of the Fair. He introduced computers to the judging and operation of the Fair in the early 1980's; before most of us knew how to turn one on. Harold was the Treasurer of the Science Fair for many years. He also was the IJAS Chair for a number of years. Harold was active in several organizations including the Illinois Biology Teachers Association, the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) and several local conservation clubs. He chaired the NABT National Convention in Chicago in the early 1970's. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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| Geri Blakley Geri Blakely was a teacher at Hyde Park High School and was a Teacher on Loan to Argonne National Laboratory. She resumed her career with CPS as a coordinator to the Chicago Systemic Initiative. She served the Science Fair in the capacity as the head of Special Awards and Tours for many years along with Research Grant Chair and Communications & Credentials Chair. She also served a term as Executive Chair. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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| Ray
Readus Ray Readus was a Biology teacher at Lane Tech. He served the Science Fair as the Exhibits Chair for many years. He gladly aided many other committees with he logistics involved with the City-wide fair. Mr. Readus passed away in a tragic fire in his home. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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| Allen Nelson Allen Nelson was a teacher at a Beverly area elementary school. He became the chairman of the Exhibits Committee after Ray Readus and, for many years, served on a number of other committees. As such, he handled logistics (deliveries, distribution, materials, etc.) of CSSF keeping everyone well supplied with the things that make for a successful Fair. In addition, he was always available to help other committees whenever there was a need.
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| Barbara Bulmash Barbara Bulmash was a biology teacher at Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center for many years. Among the official positions she occupied for the Science Fair over an extended period was that of co-chair of the publications committee which produced the various handbooks as well as the annual fair Program Book. In addition, Barbara unofficially worked with the Exhibits and Awards and a number of other committees. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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| Nancy Toomey Nancy Toomey was a biology teacher at Lindblom Technical High School. She served as Chair on the Scientific Review Committee, the Safety Committee as well as handling endorsements for all biological, human and animal experimentation. She also served on the Arrangements and IJAS committees along with helping any other committee that needed an extra hand. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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Mary Nalbandian Mary Nalbandian began her career as a
teacher at the Otis school. Her strong interest and
background in science and science education led to her
becoming the science coordinator for the south side
schools of Chicago. In 1976, she became the Director
of Science in the Department of Curriculum for CPS:
a position that she held until her retirement in
1992. During her tenure as Director of Science, she
also took on the responsibility of becoming the Executive
Director of the CPS Student Science Fair from 1983 until
1991. Under her leadership and because of her belief
that young women had both the innovation and penchant for
science, the teaching of science flourished in the Chicago
Public Schools. Even after her retirement, Mary
remained deeply involved with the Science Fair, serving on
the Scholarship Committee and as an adviser to many of the
new science teachers. In addition, she joined the
Retired Teachers Association of Chicago (RTAC) and became
an active volunteer advocate to their mission of
preserving and enhancing the pensions and benefits for all
CPS retired educators.Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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| Dennis
Hart Dennis Hart began his career in the early 1960’s as a Math teacher at Marshall High School. When computers entered the classroom in the early to mid-1970’s Dennis decided computer programming was more fun to teach. Eventually the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) realized that computer education should be a valuable part of the curriculum and created the Bureau of Computer Education and Dennis was recruited to become part of the 5 member staff working out of the downtown offices at 228 N. LaSalle. Dennis and one other member became involved with helping the Science Fair by computerizing the judging and scoring using CPS’s mainframe. In 1983 the Bureau of Computer Ed received a grant (one of the largest at that time) designed to provide ALL 20,000+ CPS teachers and administrators with 6 hours of training on the ‘new’ TRS-80 Model 3 microcomputer. Dennis led the team that trained 25 current Computer Ed teachers to be the Master Teachers for the individual sessions. Ultimately over 11,000 CPS teachers and administrator received 6 hours of ‘Everything you need to know about computers.’ Dennis retired from CPS in 1999 and went on to work for Omicron Technologies, a company that developed programs that provided for CPS high school daily attendance tracking. Even with that job, he continued to work with the Science Fair, developing the initial website (https://cssf.org). He continued to provide helpful suggestions for the judging programs until the pandemic in 2020 led to a massive reorganization as to how judging is done and data is processed. Dennis will be remembered for his humor, intellect, dedication to education. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |
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| Lewis
Wright Lewis E. Wright’s dedicated service for 41 years to students and teachers of the Chicago Public Schools began as a science teacher at Bond Upper Grade Center. He also served as science teacher in the Science Mobile Program. Lewis concluded his career as Science Coordinator at the Chicago Public Schools Central Office. His love of science was influential in his son participating in the Citywide Science Fair in 7th grade continuing throughout high school. During his career with the Chicago Public Schools Student Science Fair, Inc., Lewis served as Chairperson (1998-2000); Safety Committee Chairperson (1994-1998); Safety Committee member (1991-2015); Scholarship Committee Member (2000-2017); Fund Solicitation Committee Member (1998-2002); and IJAS Committee Member. Lewis was an accomplished educator and a devoted Scholarship Memorial contributor. Back to top Back to the donations form Back to the Home page |