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.

Former English teacher Winifred McDonald served as Connecticut’s Sec of State

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Former Connecticut English teacher Winifred McDonald also served as Connecticut Secretary of State. Photo credit: Public Domain

Many excellent educators have also served as able politicians. One of these was Winifred McDonald, a former school teacher who also served as Connecticut’s Secretary of State.

Winifred was born on June 8, 1888, in Waterbury Connecticut. Sadly, Winifred was orphaned when she was a child. Nevertheless, as a young girl, she attended parochial schools.

Once she earned her high school diploma, Winifred enrolled at Saint Elizabeth University, a private, Catholic liberal arts university located in Convent Station, Morris Township, New Jersey. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in 1910. During her college years, Winifred completed an extensive study of social conditions in New York City, particularly those related to child welfare.

After completed her college degree, Winifred returned to Connecticut where she accepted a position as an English teacher at Ansonia High School, a public four-year high school located in Ansonia. She also taught at Crosby High School, a public high school in the East End section of Waterbury.

The exemplary teacher became involved in politics when she was selected to be a member of the Democratic State Central Committee representing the 15th Senate District. She was also a member of the Waterbury Democratic Town Committee. In 1947 she served as the Vice Chair of the Town Committee, and in 1954 she was named the Chair of the organization. In addition to her work on the Democratic State Central Committee, Winifred served as President of the New Haven County Democratic Federated Women’s Club, and she was named the President of the Saint Elizabeth College Alumna Association.

In 1948, Winifred, described as a “pert, smallish woman with flashing eyes and an iron-grey bob,” decided to run for the elected position of Connecticut Secretary of State. She won the campaign by a narrow margin, and held the post from 1949 to 1951. While serving, she was particularly interested in child welfare and housing. In addition, she urged local officials to extend voting hours to allow Jewish voters to get to the polls after sunset, when the annual observance of Yom Kippur had concluded.

Winifred passed away on Feb. 23, 1976, at Waterbury Hospital. She was 87 years old. She is interred at the new Saint Joseph’s Cemetery in Waterbury.

Wisconsin teacher Lois Womack garners prestigious PAEMST

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Elementary school mathematics teacher Lois Womack from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has garnered a prestigious PAEMST award. Here she is with one of her students. Photo credit: Scripps Local Media

Congratulations to Lois Womack from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an elementary math teacher who has earned a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

This PAEMST is a national honor that recognizes the dedication, hard work, and important role 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 $10,000 cash prize, a certificate signed by President Joe Biden, and a trip to Washington, DC, to attend an honors ceremony with the President.

Lois currently teaches fourth and fifth grade mathematics at Marvin E. Pratt Elementary School in Milwaukee. She has taught there for the past five years. Prior to that, she worked at Starms Discovery Learning Center for 11 years, six as the school’s Mathematics Teacher Leader and five as a fifth grade teacher. Lois was an Elementary Mathematics Assistant Coordinator and Mathematics Teaching Specialist, supporting mathematics teaching and learning districtwide, for five years. She spent six years at Hi-Mount Community School, where she began her teaching career.

Lois says she is passionate about teaching. Her goal each day is to make the mathematics concepts and skills clear in order to enhance students’ understanding. She also places an emphasis on building relationships and on being a good role model to improve students’ achievement. “I want kids to see me and know they can go into math and science fields and excel,” declares Lois. “I knew I wanted to teach math and break down concepts for kids, and help create that growth mindset, so they are confident about their skills,” she continues.

During her years at Marvin E. Pratt Elementary, Lois was appointed the Math Champion; was the chair of the Mathematics Committee for three years; and provided professional development for staff. Additionally, she conducted professional development sessions on working with advanced learners in mathematics and creating equitable and accessible mathematics classrooms for teachers and administrators throughout the district.

Her PAEMST is not the only recognition Lois has earned. In March 2021, she garnered the Excellence in Education award from the Milwaukee Board of School Directors.

Lois earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

To read more about Lois Womack, click on this link to Scripps Local Media.

Carly Santangelo named NY’s 2022 Teacher of the Year

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Agriculture teacher Carly Santangelo has been named New York’s state 2022 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Ocean Times Herald

I am always excited to share a story about an exceptional educator who has earned accolades for their work. One of these is Carly Santangelo, a secondary school agriculture teacher who has been named New York’s Teacher of the Year for 2022.

Carly teaches agriculture to middle and high school students at Cuba-Rushford Central School in Cuba in western New York State. She engages students, colleagues, and the community by connecting academic content to life-long skills through schoolwide, hands-on projects. She believes strongly in an interdisciplinary, project-based approach to learning and uses agriculture to approach content from other classes. For example, with colleague Joseph Franzen, a Cuba-Rushford history teacher, Carly founded the World Foods and Diversity program. The course helps students understand how gender, race, history, and other global issues relate to the food we eat. The honored educator also works to expose all students to fields traditionally viewed as male-oriented, such as welding. In doing so, she says, she helps break down gender-based barriers and stereotypes.

In addition to teaching her courses, Carly also serves as her school’s advisor for Future Farmers of America (FFA). In this role, she works diligently to develop her students’ leadership skills. In fact, she has coached several of her students to state-winning titles in a variety of career-development events.

Carly actively pursues opportunities to expand the walls of her classroom through grants, field trips, community connections, and guest speakers. She believes in service learning and works alongside her students to give back to the community, both on campus and outside of school. For example, Carly involves her students in initiatives such as volunteering at the local food bank and teaching elementary school students and area businesses about the value of composting.

Carly earned her Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources. She earned a second Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science Education from Cornell University and her Master’s in Teaching in both Adolescent Education with an emphasis in Biology and Agricultural Education. Her career as an educator spans nine years.

To read more about Carly Santangelo, click on this link to NYSUT.

CA Choir Director David Moellenkamp inspires students

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David Moellenkamp, Director of Choral Activities at Los Alamitos High School in California, inspires his students to excel in the performing arts. Photo Credit: David Mellenkamp

All over the country, our young people are fortunate to have access to talented and dedicated performing arts teachers. One of these is David Moellenkamp, the Director of Choral Activities at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, California.

During his 14 years at the school, David’s choir groups have been named Grand Champions over 175 times, and they have garnered no less than 12 National Grand Championship titles. Prior to coming to Los Alamitos, David spent the first 16 years of his teaching career in central Illinois. There he led the Sullivan Singers Show Choir program to over 100 first place wins, including four National Championships.

David’s choirs have recorded and performed with numerous famous artists, including Barry Manilow, Patti Lupone, and Foreigner. In 2013, he collaborated with the Los Alamitos Education Foundation to produce and direct the Xcite! Show Choir Camps.

In addition to directing school choirs, David spent 14 summers directing and choreographing students at Stagedoor Manor, a well-known performing arts training center in New York. As a result of his work there, more than 100 of his former students have performed on Broadway, appeared on network television, or starred in major motion pictures. David has also spent 14 summers presenting workshops at the Arizona and Missouri Music Educators All State Conventions, and he is a show choir adjudicator and clinician for festivals and schools around the world. And as if all that were not enough, he also teaches Music Education classes at Cal State Long Beach.

Throughout his 31-year career as an educator, David has earned many accolades. Playbill, the iconic Broadway magazine, named him one of the most influential educators inspiring Broadway’s youth. He was named the Kennedy Center Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher of the Year. In 2018, he received the Excellence in Special Education from SELPA. Also, the Fame National Show Choir Series awarded him their Aspire Choir Director of the Year in both 2015 and 2017. Also in 2017, he was named the Teacher of the Year for Los Alamitos School District. In addition, David was a finalist for the 2016 Grammy Teacher of the Year, and in 2015, he was named the Orange County Department of Education Outstanding Secondary Music Educator of the Year.

David earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, and his Master’s degree in Administration from National University.

Oregon’s Gwen Bartlett earns 2023 Regional Teacher of the Year award

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High school social studies teacher Gwen Bartlett has earned a 2023 Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year award. Photo Credit: The News Review

There are many excellent educators that work in our nation’s schools. One of these is Gwen Bartlett, a high school social studies teacher from Oregon. She has been named a 2023 Regional Teacher of the Year.

Gwen, who first considered a career in journalism, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon. After her college graduation, she took a job at a public relations and marketing company. But after doing volunteer work with young people during the summer, she became interested in a career as a teacher. So she went back to school, earning a Master’s degree in Education from Portland State University.

Gwen launched her career as an educator in 1998 when she accepted a position as a social studies teacher at Roseburg High School in Roseburg, Oregon. She still works there today. She currently teaches US History and Advanced Placement US History. She says she strives to make her classroom a safe space for dialogue and discussion, she attempts to make the past relevant to students today.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Gwen has also been her school’s Head Track and Field Coach for six years. Gwen says that track was an important part of her high school and college experiences, and it’s important to her to share that with her students.

The Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year awards honor exemplary educators in every region of the state. Candidates are recognized as being exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled public school educators in grades Pre-K through 12. A total of 16 teachers have been selected from across the state of Oregon to receive the honor. In addition to the recognition, Gwen received a $1,000 cash prize.

To read more about Gwen Bartlett, click on this link to an article about her published by the Douglas Education Service District.