Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell

About Terry Lee Marzell

Terry Lee Marzell holds a bachelor's degree in English from Cal State Fullerton and a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cal State San Bernardino. She also holds a certificate for Interior Design Level 1 from Mt. San Antonio College. She has been an educator in the Corona Norco Unified School District for more than 30 years.

ALonna Soward-Puryear garners honors as Maryland’s 2026 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary school educator ALonna Soward-Puryear has been named the 2026 Teacher of the Year for the state of Maryland. Photo credit: CCSSO NTOY

I am always excited to shine a spotlight on an exceptional educator who has garnered accolades for their work in the classroom. Today, I shine the spotlight on ALonna Soward-Puryear, an elementary school teacher from Maryland. She has been named her state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.

ALonna teaches math and reading to first, third, and fourth graders at Monocacy Elementary School in Frederick, Maryland. There she works as a targeted interventionist. She has taught at the school since 2019.

In her classroom, ALonna employs culturally responsive teaching in her instructional design, recognizing and leveraging students’ diverse cultural backgrounds as assets to learning and ensuring that all students see themselves in the curriculum and feel empowered to engage.

“My students are hands-down my favorite part of teaching. They’re the reason I do what I do,” declares ALonna. “I love their energy, their curiosity, their notes and drawings, and the inside jokes we build as a class,” she continued. “There’s nothing better than seeing how much they grow, not just academically, but as people throughout the year,” she concluded.

In addition to her work with young students, ALonna serves on the school’s School Improvement Team and the Systemic Team for Blueprint Implementation. She actively fosters instructional excellence and promotes a community of academic growth through initiatives such as the Ready for Pre-K/K and the ELEVATE summer programs. And as if all that were not enough, she mentors beginning teachers.

“Be a lifelong learner,” ALonna advises those she mentors. “One of the most important things you can do as an educator is to stay curious and reflective. During your internships, don’t be afraid to take risk, try new strategies and experiment with different tools or lesson formats. Then take time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t and how you can grow from it,” she says.

ALonna earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary/Special Education and her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership in 2024, both from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.

Former NFL player Cory Schlesinger now teaches in Michigan

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Former NFL pro football player Cory Schlesinger now teaches technical education and vocational education  in Park Allen, Michigan. Photo credit: In-Play Sports Magazine

There are many examples of professional athletes who have gone from the sports arena into the public school classroom. One of these is Cory Schlesinger, a former NFL pro football player who now teaches high school in Michigan.

Cory was born on June 23, 1972, in Columbus, Nebraska. As a high school student, he played as a linebacker and fullback for Columbus High School. In his junior year, and again in his senior year, he was named to Nebraska’s All-State team. He also won the 189-pound wrestling state championship twice during his high school years. During his college years, Cory played for the Cornhuskers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In his senior year there, Cory scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns in the 1995 Orange Bowl that helped his university capture their first national title.

Cory currently teaches computer-aided design, drafting, and vocational education classes at Allen Park High School in Allen Park, Michigan. But every one of the 120 students in his classes is well aware that Cory is a retired NFL fullback who played 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions. His nickname then was the “Sledge,” a player who blocked his opponents and brought them down like a sledge hammer.

Despite this reputation, the former pro-football player has a great heart, patiently instructing his students, conducting a school-wide strength and conditioning program for both boys and girls, and donating his time to charitable events organized by the Lions. “Cory’s such a generous, kind and wonderful person,” described former Allen Park High  principal Janet Wasko in 2013. “He doesn’t stand on ceremony, but everyone knows who he is. He cares about the whole student body. It’s not just about football,” she said.

Cory Schlesinger: the “sledge hammer” that became a true Chalkboard Champion.

 

Sp Ed educator Tiffani Jaseph named Arizona’s 2026 State Teacher of the Year

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Special Education teacher Tiffani Jaseph has been named Arizona’s 2025 State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Arizona Educational Foundation

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an outstanding educator who has earned accolades for their work in American public schools. Today I share the story of Tiffani Jaseph, an elementary teacher from Arizona. She has been named her state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.

Tiffani currently teaches Special Education to students in grades K-5 at Copper View Elementary School located in Sahuarita, Arizona. There she develops accommodations for students with higher support needs. She is committed to ensuring that her classroom is accessible for both academic and social-emotional development. To achieve this, Tiffani emphasizes inclusive, strengths-based instruction tailored to meet diverse learning styles.Prior to working at Copper View, Tiffani taught In Yuma, Arizona. There she provided Special Education interventions for students from kindergarten through sixth grade. She also worked in the Sunnyside Unified School District, where she taught in an extended-day Special Education program for fourth and fifth graders. In that position, she provided specially-designed instruction while supporting students’ needs in the general education environment. In all, Tiffani’s career as an educator spans 15 years.

In addition to her work as a teacher, Tiffani has helped her school develop a partnership with the University of Arizona Adaptive Sports program. Through this partnership, students can participate in a weeklong physical education clinic. Through this program, students can become engaged in adaptive sports, including wheelchair basketball. Tiffani has also established a Running Club on her campus.

Her designation as Arizona’s State Teacher of the Year is not the only honor Tiffani has earned. She was named Teacher of the Year in both the Yuma and Sahuarita districts, and she was a finalist for Sahuarita District Teacher of the Year.

Tiffani earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2005 and her Master’s degree in Special Education in 2009, both from the University of Arizona.

 

Educators participate in cultural exchange through Fulbright scholarships

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One of the most important missions of an educator today is to develop global citizens. What better way to do this than through a teacher-exchange program such as the prestigious Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board?

The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board is a US cultural-exchange program sponsored by the US Government’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program was founded by US Senior William Fulbright in 1946 and is considered one of the most widely recognized and prestigious scholarships in the world. Since its founding, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries with opportunities to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to the complex challenges facing our communities and our world. These participants were chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential. More than 400 US educators teach overseas through the Fulbright Program annually.

Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, Fulbright teachers share stories about their experiences and often become active supporters of continued international exchange, inviting foreign students to their campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.

Fulbright alumni careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of highly-regarded scholars, many of whom have become leaders in their fields. Notable Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Fellows, and 41 who have served as a head of state or government.

To learn more about the program, click on this link to the organization’s webpage: Fulbright Scholars.