Falls Church High School teacher Brian Schwenk, who teaches biology at the school, was chosen by the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation as a member of its 2016 cohort of Teaching Fellows. He is the recipient of one of 34 fellowships awarded to early-career, high school mathematics and science teachers this year.

Schwenk is committed to teaching biology to high school students in the United States. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 2013 and a Master of Arts degree in teaching in 2015, both from James Madison University. Schwenk will begin his second year of teaching at Falls Church in fall 2016.

With a focus on supporting teacher-led educational improvement in the classroom and beyond, the foundation’s Teaching Fellows gain access to a comprehensive suite of benefits for five years, including summer stipends, funds for professional development, grants for teaching materials, mentoring and support from experienced teachers and teacher educators, support for teacher leadership activities and membership in a community of more than 300 like-minded peers in 40 states. For more information, visit kstf.org.