Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell
NJ teacher Donald Payne elected to the US House of Representatives
Former New Jersey teacher Donald Payne was elected to the US House Representatives. Photo Credit :Public Domain
In American history, there are many examples of successful educators who later became noteworthy politicians. One of these is Donald Payne, a former teacher who was elected as the first African American to represent New Jersey in the US House of Representatives.
Donald Milford Payne, Sr., was born in Newark, New Jersey, on July 16, 1934. Following his graduation from Newark’s Barringer High School in 1952, Donald enrolled on a scholarship in Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. There he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies in 1957. Later he pursued post-graduate studies at Springfield College in Massachusetts.
After his college graduation, Donald taught English and Social Studies in Newark Public Schools. He also coached football. While still a teacher, Donald became the first African American president of the National Council of the YMCA. From 1973 to 1981, he served as the Chairman of the World YMCA Refugee and Rehabilitation Committee.
After leaving the classroom, Donald worked for a time as an executive for the Prudential Insurance Company. He also served three terms as a Municipal City Councilman, but he had always wanted to become a Congressman. In 1988 he finally achieved that goal when he was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent New Jersey’s Tenth District. “I want to be a congressman to serve as a model for the young people I talk to on the Newark street corners,” Donald said during his campaign. “I want them to see there are no barriers to achievement. I want to give them a reason to try.”
While in Congress, the former teacher served on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, including the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. In addition, he was a part of the Committee on Government Operations and on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, including the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. From 1995 to 1997, he was the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. He was elected to Congress a total of eleven times, and some of his wins were by the widest margins in New Jersey history.
In his later years, Donald suffered from diabetes and he experienced several small strokes, but it was colon cancer that finally claimed his life on March 6, 2012. He was 77 years old. Donald Payne: A true Chalkboard Champion.
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Author Terry Lee Marzell published in second Inlandia anthology
For the second year in a row, author Terry Lee Marzell has been included in an anthology published by The Inlandia Institute. Two of her nonfiction pieces have been included in the collection. Photo Credit: Hal Marzell
For the second year in a row, Terry Lee Marzell, author of Chalkboard Champions and Chalkboard Heroes, announces that two of her short pieces have been included in an anthology published by The Inlandia Institute. The anthology, entitled 2021 Writing from Inlandia, was just released in November, 2022. Terry is among some 61 contributors to the collection, which features poetry, nonfiction, and fiction selections.
The first piece, “A Sewing Machine,” explores Terry’s personal recollections with the lost art of sewing, including how her mother sewed her clothes when she was an elementary school student, and how she sewed her own wardrobe as a high school student. The second piece, “My Introduction to French Cuisine,” also nonfiction, describes a dish that Terry sampled while on a tour of France, and then how she tried to re-create it when she returned home.
Inlandia is a regional literary nonprofit and publishing house. The mission of the organization is to recognize, support, and expand literary activity in all of its forms in the Inland Empire of Southern California. The group is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and in part by the California Arts Council. To learn more about the Inlandia Institute, you can visit the website at www.InlandiaInstitute.org.
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LA middle school teacher Robbie Evans earns coveted PAEMST
James “Robbie” Evans of Sterlington Middle School in Sterlington, Louisiana, has earned a coveted PAEMST award. Photo Credit: News Star
It is always a pleasure for me to share stories about talented educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Louisiana educator James “Robbie” Evans, who has earned a coveted 2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).
The coveted PAEMST honor 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.
Robbie Evans has been an educator for the last 10 years. He has spent all of them teaching at his alma mater, Sterlington Middle School, located in Sterlington, Louisiana. He teaches sixth grade science, but he has also taught taught English, Language Arts, and social studies.
The key to keeping his students excited about science, says Robbie, is project-based learning. A typical day for students in his classes centers on collaborative group work, modelling, and hands-on activities. He also has designed instruction to include a multitude of digital platforms where students can use what they have learned in their scientific investigations.
In addition to his work in the classroom, Robbie serves as his school’s Science Department Chair. He is also a participant in the Ouachita Parish School Systems Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) cohort, a districtwide initiative to improve the reading and writing skills of students. As part of the LDC team, Robbie has developed and delivered districtwide presentations on literacy design and created exemplary science literacy modules available to all sixth grade science teachers across the district.
Robbie earned his B.A. in journalism from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and an Master’s degree in Teaching from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana.
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High school educator Kathleen MacDonald honored in Santa Clara, CA
Former high school business teacher and vice principal Kathleen MacDonald was named as the Grand Marshall of the annual Parade of Champions in Santa Clara, California, October, 2022. Photo Credit: DKG
It is always a pleasure to share stories of exceptional educators. One of these is Kathleen MacDonald, a former high school business teacher and Vice Principal from Santa Clara, California.
In 1964, Kathleen accepted a position as a business and typing teacher at Adrian C. Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, California. She served in this position until 1993, when she became the school’s Activities Director. In 1995, she was promoted to Vice Principal of Student Activities.
Kathleen is obviously beloved by her students, even the ones who had already graduated. “Mrs. MacDonald fosters an environment where students can intellectually and socially mature,” declares former student Heather Narciso. “She deals with the most unique and dynamic personalities of Wilcox and is committed to helping students succeed in every facet of their lives,” Narciso continues. “Every student has different leadership skills, but when you graduate, you know you’re the best leader that you can be—thanks to Mrs. MacDonald,” she concluded.
“Mrs. MacDonald offered me endless support when I was in high school, but what really makes her stand out is the time she invests in her students’ lives after they graduate,” said Narciso. “She keeps track of her former students and genuinely cares about their future and lives in the real world.”
Kathleen was inducted into the Delta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International in 1984, a prestigious organization for women educators. She served her chapter as their Scholarship Chair for many years.
For her many years of dedication as an educator, Kathleen has earned many accolades. In 2011, she was honored by the San Francisco 49ers and Symetra Financial as one of their “Hero in the Classroom” winners. On Oct. 1, 2022, Kathleen served as the Grand Marshal for the annual Parade of Champions in Santa Clara. Two weeks later, this Chalkboard Champion was honored when the Santa Clara Unified School District, to whom she has dedicated nearly 60 years of her professional life, opened a brand new high school christened Kathleen MacDonald High School in her honor. To learn more about this auspicious day, click here.
