Former teacher Judy Seeberger elected to Minnesota State Senate

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Terry Lee Marzell

Former teacher Judy Seeberger now serves in the Minnesota State Senate. Photo credit: Minnesota State Legislature

Many outstanding educators also become successful politicians. One of these is Judy Seeberger, a former public school teacher from Minnesota who has been elected to serve in the Minnesota State Senate.

Judy was born in Wisconsin on Sept. 3, 1969. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, in 1991. She earned her Master’s degree in teaching from Hamline University in 2016. She also earned her Juris Doctorate from Boston University, in 1996.

After earning her Bachelor’s degree, Judy taught school for five years at the Math and Science Academy, a public charter school that serves students in grades six through twelve located in Woodbury, Minnesota. She taught there from 2016 to 2021.

Prior to the beginning of her service in the State Senate, Judy was elected to the Bayport City Council, where she served one term until she relocated to a new home in the city ofAfton. In addition, she has served on both the Bayport and Afton Planning Commissions, and she was elected to serve on the School Board of the Math and Science Academy as a teacher member. Her employment background also includes experience as a first responder. She has worked as a paramedic with Allina Health and on the Lower St. Croix Valley Fire Department.

Married to a Navy captain, Judy has also been involved in volunteer work at the Yellow Ribbon Network of Washington County, an organization that serves military members, veterans, and their families in Washington County. At various periods during the six years she worked with the organization, Judy served as President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, and she assisted in its organization and formation.

In 2022, Judy was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent Minnesota’s District 41. She has served in that body since Jan. 3, 2023, and her term will expire in 2027. As a State Senator, she supports first responders, abortion access rights, increased family and medical leave programs, tax cuts, and red flag laws. She is also supportive of veterans. She has served on the Committees for Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development; Commerce and Consumer Protection; and Judiciary and Public Safety.

Hallie Stillwell—the frontier teacher who taught classes with a gun strapped to her hip

Posted on July 13, 2026 by Terry Lee Marzell

Hallie Stillwel was an intrepid teacher on the Texas frontier during the Mexican Revolution.

There are many instances in American history when intrepid teachers on the frontier faced dangerous circumstances in order to safeguard their students and conduct their lessons. One such intrepid teacher was Hallie Stillwell, a school marm in Presidio, Texas, during the Mexican Revolution.

Hallie was born in Waco, Texas, on Oct. 20, 1897, but her family moved to Alpine, Texas a short time later. Hallie inaugurated her career as an educator in 1916, when she accepted a teaching position in Presidio, Texas. She was only 19 years old at the time. Because the school was located within shooting distance of the encampment of Pancho Villa’s Revolutionary Army, the neophyte teacher conducted her classes with her father’s gun strapped to her hip. In fact, to compensate her for this danger, her salary included extra dollars for hazard pay!

Hallie’s life also included romance. On July 29, 1918, the teacher married Roy Stillwell, a rancher from Alpine. After their wedding, the couple moved into the primitive one-room cabin on Roy’s sprawling 6,500-acre ranch. Her life as a rancher was filled with manual labor. Day after day, Hallie worked at her husband’s side, herding, branding cattle, mending fences, and hunting game. The circumstances of their lives would have been described as harsh under ordinary circumstances, but became especially difficult during the Dust Bowl years, although the couple managed to save their ranch from foreclosure. Along the way, Hallie and Roy raised two sons and a daughter.

Despite her home and family responsibilities, the former teacher found time to become a published columnist and author. In 1955, Hallie launched a published column she called “Ranch News” for the Alpine Avalanche. She also co-wrote a book with Virginia Madison that was entitled How Come It’s Called That: Place Names in the Big Band County, which was published in 1962. She also published a memoir she called I’ll Gather My Geese in 1991. And as if all that were not enough, Hallie officially became a Justice of the Peace for Brewster County in 1964.

This Chalkboard Champion passed sway on Aug. 18, 1997, in Alpine, Texas. She was 99 years old. To honor her, Hallie Stilwell was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame located in Fort Worth, Texas.

What great teachers do…

Posted on July 12, 2026 by Terry Lee Marzell

White House pause in PAEMST Awards still in effect, the National Science Foundation reports

Posted on July 11, 2026 by Terry Lee Marzell

According to the US National Science Foundation (NSF), the suspension in the national Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) recognition program that was institutes on July 18, 2025, is still in effect. Prior to the suspension, the PAEMST awards were awarded to our nation’s most excellent educators of mathematics, science, and technology courses. Below is the full text of announcement posted on the official website for the PAEMST:

“On July 18, 2025, NSF announced that it will pause the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) programs until further notice. NSF administers these programs on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Here is the full text of the announcement:

Any nominations submitted during the previously scheduled Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 submission window will not be considered, and there will not be any nominations and applications accepted for FY 2026.

The pause allows NSF to conduct a comprehensive review of the programs. NSF remains committed to supporting the nation’s STEM teachers and mentors and looks forward to providing future updates.”

Since 1983, up to 110 outstanding educators from across the country have been recognized by the White House for their passion, dedication, and impact in the classroom each year. The awards have been administered by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The honors recognize the importance that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, innovators, space explorers, and engineers. The honor comes with a meeting with the President and a $10,000 cash prize.

Chalkboard Champions

Recognizing and Celebrating Great Teachers

Former teacher Judy Seeberger elected to Minnesota State Senate

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Hallie Stillwell—the frontier teacher who taught classes with a gun strapped to her hip

This Chalkboard Champion passed sway on Aug. 18, 1997, in Alpine, Texas. She was 99 years old. To honor her, Hallie Stilwell was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame located in Fort Worth, Texas.

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What great teachers do…

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White House pause in PAEMST Awards still in effect, the National Science Foundation reports

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This Chalkboard Champion passed sway on Aug. 18, 1997, in Alpine, Texas. She was 99 years old. To honor her, Hallie Stilwell was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame located in Fort Worth, Texas.

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