Press Release Details

30 Outstanding Science Teachers and Their Schools Recognized in Amgen Communities Across the U.S. and Puerto RicoTHOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Apr 18, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced the 30 science teachers across the United States and Puerto Rico who are this year's recipients of the Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence. Each of the individuals honored has demonstrated an outstanding ability to inspire their students and produce results in science education. The program was designed to recognize teachers in the K-12 grade levels in public and private schools whose dedication to their students' education has had a significant impact on the learning and interest of the future generation of scientists. The winners of the 16th annual Amgen Science Teaching Awards program will be honored at special ceremonies in their respective Amgen communities in May. The 2007 award recipients are:

California

-- Jeffrey Adkins of Deer Valley High School in Antioch, Calif.

-- Mike Fischer of Granite Bay High School in Granite Bay, Calif.

-- Steve Latshaw of Westlake Hills Elementary School in Westlake Village, Calif.

-- Mark Mayo of Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, Calif.

-- Dave Menshew of James C. Enochs High School in Modesto, Calif.

-- Jay S. Vavra of High Tech High in San Diego, Calif.

Colorado

-- Carolyn Evans Crapo of Grandview High School in Aurora, Colo.

-- Pam Schmidt of Thunder Ridge Middle School in Aurora, Colo.

-- Charles R. Warren of The Crestone Charter School in Crestone, Colo.

-- Gary Wilkinson of Monte Vista High School in Monte Vista, Colo.

Kentucky

-- Millie Blandford of Washington County High School in Springfield, Ky.

-- Andrea Broyles of South Elementary in Corbin, Ky.

-- Joshua Underwood of Deming School in Mt. Olivet, Ky.

-- Fred Whittaker of St. Francis of Assisi in Louisville, Ky.

Massachusetts

-- Angela Cardono Cunard of Seekonk High School in Seekonk, Mass.

-- Ellen Graham of Marlborough High School in Marlborough, Mass.

-- Theresa Piazza of Wilmington Middle School in Wilmington, Mass.

-- James Schliefke of Horace Mann Middle School in Franklin, Mass.

Rhode Island

-- Robert Williams Brown of The Wheeler School in Providence, R.I.

-- Joel Gluck of NEL/CPS Construction Career Academy in Cranston, R.I.

-- Doris E. Lawson of Potter Burns Elementary School in Pawtucket, R.I.

-- Daniel J. Potts of Chariho Regional Middle School in Wood River Junction, R.I.

Washington

-- Mario Godoy-Gonzalez of Royal High School of Royal City, Wash.

-- Sheila Guard of Canyon Park Junior High School in Bothell, Wash.

-- Misty Nikula of Whatcom Day Academy in Bellingham, Wash.

-- Eleanor Peterson of Seattle Country Day School in Seattle, Wash.

Puerto Rico

-- Aurea Berrios of Francisco Morales School in Naranjito, Puerto Rico

-- Julio De Jesus of Colegio Radians in Cayey, Puerto Rico

-- Zugeily Marcano of Colegio Angeles Custodios in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico

-- Jose Rivera of Dr. Carlos Gonzalez School in Aguada, Puerto Rico

Amgen established the teacher awards program to demonstrate the company's commitment to advancing science education. Since the program's inception in 1992, Amgen has awarded more than $1.7 million to educators who have made exceptional science-teaching contributions and who have had a measurable impact on the lives of their students.

"This year's Amgen Science Teaching Excellence Award winners have provided an innovative and encouraging environment to inspire their students to learn about science," said Phyllis Piano, vice president Corporate Communications and Philanthropy, Amgen. "We respect and appreciate the teachers' dedication to their students and are delighted to honor them."

The 30 selected winners will receive the following benefits:

-- An unrestricted cash award of $5,000;

-- A restricted $5,000 cash grant to the recipient's school for the expansion or enhancement of a school science program, science resources, or the professional development of the school's science teachers; and

-- Recognition at an awards banquet.

New to the application this year, applicants were asked to submit an innovative science lesson plan which had been successfully introduced in their classroom. Amgen plans to post a select number of the winning lesson plans to its Web site and intends for the sharing of this knowledge with educators across the country to bolster excellence and innovation in science teaching.

This year, Amgen partnered with the University of Wisconsin - Madison School of Education to judge the teaching awards across all sites. The School's Department of Curriculum and Instruction is consistently recognized as a leader in education, and their expertise aided in the selection of the strongest possible winners.

Nominations are solicited every fall with winners selected based on the following criteria: innovative science lesson plan, creativity of teaching methods, effectiveness in the classroom, and the plan for the use of grant money to improve science education resources in their schools.

For more information about this year's winners and the program, please visit http://www.amgen.com/citizenship/aaste.html.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

SOURCE: Amgen

Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Sarah Rockwell, 805-447-9953 (media)
Kristen Davis, 805-447-3008 (media)