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On the first day of class, Randy Moore shows his students a graph illustrating the connection between attendance and course grades in his biology class. Those who take the point and show up get not only the best course many have taken but strong personal support to help them succeed.

"He reaches out to those in need," says one student.

He gets students to dig deeper by allowing them to write essays about missed exam questions to earn back partial credit.

"He didn’t just want you to do well, but he wanted you to actually learn something in the process," says another student.

Moore’s general biology students hear real-life examples of how biology affects their lives. In his seminar on the creationism-evolution debate, he prods young minds to think and rethink their beliefs. Moore, who speaks frequently to the media on the issue, documents relevant court cases in Evolution in the Courtroom—an invaluable aid to the discussion. And his Biology Laboratory Manual is the most popular freshman lab manual.

After 18 years as editor-in-chief of The American Biology Teacher, Moore received the highest award from the National Association of Biology Teachers. But the accolade he treasures most is a note from a once-overwhelmed student whom he helped make it to graduation and a good job. The note ended, "Thank you for sticking by me when times were tough."