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.

AAGPBL player Mamie Redman taught math and PE, and coached sports

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Magdalen Redman, who played for the All American Girls Professional Baseball League, taught mathematics and physical education and coached a variety of sports after retiring from the League. Photo Credit: All American Girls Professional Baseball League

Many times excellent physical education educators were established athletes in their own right. One of these was Magdalen “Mamie” Redman, a math and PE teacher and coach who also played in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) during World War II.

Mamie was born on July 2, 1980, in Waupin, Wisconsin. When she was young, girls were not allowed to participate in Little League Baseball, so Mamie was confined to playing sandlot ball with her neighborhood friends. By the time she was 17, though, she was able to join an organized softball team in Oconomowoc, about 17 miles away from her home town. It was while she was playing there that her talent was spotted by an AAGPBL scout.

After signing with the AAGPBL, Mamie travelled to Opa-locka, Florida, for spring training in 1948, and then she was assigned to the Kenosha Comets. At 5’5″, 150 lbs., Mamie served as the team’s catcher and third baseman. She played for the Comets from 1948 to 1950, and then transferred to the Grand Rapids Chicks, where she played from 1950 to 1954. While playing there, she helped her team win the Championship Series in 1953. In all, Mamie played seven years in the AAGBL. Once the League was disbanded in 1955, Mamie was recruited to play for a national touring team known as the All American All Stars, a team comprised of women players who toured the country competing against male teams.

After she retired from baseball, Mamie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, with minors in Physical Education and Biology, from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. For the next 37 years, she taught mathematics and physical education and coached a variety of high school sports at Valdez, Mukwonago, and Oconomowoc High Schools.

To commemorate her impressive career as an athlete, Mamie’s story became part of the Women in Baseball exhibit at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. She was also inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame, the Wall of Honor at Miller Park in Milwaukee, and the Waupun High School Hall of Fame. In addition, the 1992 film A League of Their Own shared the story of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League to generations of baseball fans.

In her final years, Mamie Redman lived in Oconomowoc. She passed away on Aug. 22, 2020, at the age of 90.

 

Dr. Ernest Garcia: From CA barrio to classroom to school board

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Dr. Ernest Garcia: Classroom teacher, administrator, college professor, education frontrunner, veteran, and ardent supporter of the arts.  Photo Credit: San Bernardino Valley College

Many excellent teachers are fondly remembered for their significant contributions to their community. One of these was Dr. Ernest Garcia, a classroom teacher, administrator, college professor, educational frontrunner, veteran, and ardent supporter of the arts. During the course of a his lifetime, this remarkable man went from barrio to classroom to school board.

Ernest was the youngest of four children born to immigrants from Sinaloa, Mexico. During the 1930s, he was raised in a barrio in the San Bernardino County community of Colton. After his graduation from Colton High School, Ernest earned his Associate’s degree in Spanish from San Bernardino Valley College. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from the University of California, Riverside, in 1955. He earned his Master’s degree in School Administration and Curriculum from the University of Redlands, and completed his PhD in Instructional Technology from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1966.

During the Korean Conflict in the 1950s, Ernest joined the Air National Guard and served two years as a supply sergeant in Japan. When he returned, he married his long-time sweetheart Dorothy Morrison, whose he called “Dottie,” and the couple began their teaching careers together in the desert city of Barstow. Over the course of his lengthy career, Ernest also taught in Redlands and Rialto schools.

Once he earned his PhD, Ernest became a professor of education at the University of Redlands. The next year, he accepted a position at the Education Department at Cal State San Bernardino. While teaching there, he became a member of the Rialto Unified School Board, where he served from 1970-1979. During his tenure on the Board, he was instrumental in introducing programs for foreign language and gifted and talented education. “Still today,” says Syeda Jafri, Rialto Unified spokesperson, “his influence reaches far and wide in the Inland Empire.” In 1979, Ernest was named the Dean of the CSUSB School of Education. He retired in 1990.

In addition to his work in the field of education, Ernest was also a supporter of the arts. He performed with the Inland Master Chorale, the Canto Bello Chorale, and the University Symphonic Choir, and he acted in plays with the Rialto Community Players and University Theater. Also, he was a member of the Latino and San Bernardino Art Associations and his work appeared in their exhibitions. He served on the San Bernardino Symphony and National Orange Show boards. He was a curator of the National Orange Show Permanent Art Collection. In 2015, he established the Garcia Center for the Arts in San Bernardino, and served as its Executive Director until he retired from that position in 2020. The organization still provides a cultural center for the San Bernardino area.

Sadly, this Chalkboard Champion passed away on April 5, 2023. He was 93 years old. Before his passing, he was inducted into the San Bernardino Valley College Hall of Fame in 1977, and the Rialto School District named Dr. Ernest Garcia Elementary School in his honor.

NC elem teacher Elizabeth Mitchell garnered dance competition title

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Elementary school teacher Elizabeth Mitchell earned acclaim for winning a national championship for dancing the Carolina shag. Photo Credit: Family of Elizabeth Mitchell

Many talented teachers earn recognition for accomplishments outside of their classrooms. One of these was Elizabeth “Beth” Mitchell, an elementary school teacher from South Carolina who won a national championship for dancing the Carolina shag.

The Carolina shag is a form of swing dance. This swing style is a partner dance performed primarily to beach music (100-130+ beats per minute in a 4/4 time signature). The shag is a recognized dance in national and international dance competitions.

Elizabeth began dancing the shag when she was only nine years old. By the time she was a teenager, she had become heavily involved in shag competitions, and when she was 15, she joined the national Shaggers Association. In 1998, Elizabeth and her partner won the National Shag Dance Championship held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Elizabeth was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Oct. 7, 1972. As a young girl, she attended Dalton L. McMichael High School. There she was a member of the cheerleading squad, and she even earned a spot on the All-Star Cheerleading Squad for the 42nd annual East-West All-Star Games in Greensboro.

After her high school graduation, Elizabeth earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. She then accepted a position as a third grade teacher at Stoneville Elementary School in Stoneville, North Carolina.

Sadly, this hardworking educator and talented dancer was killed on March 20, 1998, a victim of the Gainesville-Stoneville tornado which swept through her town on March 20, 1998. The tragedy happened just one week after she won her national championship. She was only 25 years old.

Elizabeth may be gone, but she is not forgotten. In 2002, she was inducted into the Beach Shaggers National Hall of Fame’s Keepers of the Dance. The organization also established a memorial scholarship in her name. The scholarship is awarded annually to National Shag Dance contestants who intend to pursue a college degree. Recipients of this scholarship have been awarded a total of over $262,000 since 1999.

 

Former Connecticut teacher Jahana Hayes now serves in the US House of Reps

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Former Social Studies teacher Jahana Hayes of Connecticut now serves in the US House of Representatives. Photo Credit: US Home of Representatives

Many talented educators have gone from the classroom into successful careers in politics. One of these is Johana Hayes, a former high school Social Studies teacher from Connecticut who currently represents her state in the US House of Representatives.

Jahana was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, on March 8, 1973. Because her mother was a drug addict, she was raised by her grandmother, and they lived in public housing projects in Waterbury. Even though Jahana became a teen mother at age 17, she overcame her obstacles and worked hard in school. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Southern Connecticut State and her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Saint Joseph. In 2014, she earned her Sixth-Year Certificate from the University of Bridgeport School of Education. In 2015, she earned her certification in Intermediate Administration or Supervision from the State of Connecticut.

After earning her degree, Jahana accepted her first teaching position at Southbury Training School in Connecticut. Later she relocated to John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury, where she taught Government and History. There she also served as the co-adviser of HOPE, a student service club and as the Chairperson of the Kennedy SOAR Review Board, a program for gifted students.

Jahana’s hard work in the classroom did not go unnoticed. In 2015, she garnered the John F. Kennedy Teacher of the Year award, and then the Waterbury School District Educator of the Year honors. In 2016, the teacher with the dazzling smile was named the state of Connecticut Teacher of the Year. That same year, President Obama recognized her as the US Department of Education’s National Teacher of the Year.

In 2018, Johana entered politics when she was elected to the US House of Representatives representing her state’s 5th Congressional District. She was re-elected in both 2020 and 2022. There she serves as the Chair on the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations; and she also serves on the Committee on Education and Labor; the Committee on Agriculture; the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education; and the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services. She is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Even though Jahana is a working US Representative, she is still a member of the National Education Association, and as a big supporter of labor unions, she is a former member of the Service Employees International Union 1199.

Teacher Krystal Colbert named Iowa’s 2023 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary school teacher Krystal Colbert named Iowa’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: Des Moines register

It is always a pleasure for me to share the stories of exceptional educators who have earned accolades for their work in the profession. One of these is Krystal Colbert, an elementary school teacher from Mitchellville, Iowa, who has been named her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.

Krystal teaches second graders at Mitchellville Elementary School in the Southeast Polk Community School District. She inaugurated her teaching career at Ballard West Elementary, but she has spent the past 14 years teaching for the Southeast Polk School District. Her career as an educator spans a total of 16 years.

In her classroom, Krystal says she places her greatest emphasis on the importance of building a positive and caring classroom community where all students feel loved, respected, and valued. She is passionate about student-centered learning and collaborative problem-solving. And she believes in the power of instilling a growth mindset in all of her students, helping them to consider challenges and obstacles as opportunities for growth and success. “Life is really hard for children and school can be hard as well,” asserts Krystal. “So I think it’s really important that we teach them that they can do hard things, they can face those challenges, they can step out of their comfort zone and they can achieve greatness when they do not let the fear of failure or the fear of making mistakes get in their way,” she continued.

Within her district, Krystal serves as a Model Teacher and as a mentor teacher for her colleagues. She plans and implements professional development opportunities as a member of the Teacher Leadership Committee. As a mentor teacher, she also works closely with student teachers who are pursuing a degree in education. As if all this were not enough, she also serves as a member of the 7 Habits Lighthouse Team, where she organizes and implements professional learning opportunities for her co-workers.

Krystal earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from Viterbo University.