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Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell
Social Studies teacher Matt Commons also serves in the Indiana State House of Reps
Social Studies and Government teacher Matt Commons also serves his community in the Indiana State House of Representatives. Photo credit: WFYI Indianapolis
Many outstanding educators have also served their communities in political office. One of these is Matt Commons, a secondary school teacher who also serves in the Indiana State House of Representatives.
Matt was born in Bedford, Indiana. After his high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army. There he served five years, from 2009 to 2014, as an Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division. He completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan, and received a Purple Heart for injuries he sustained in combat during his second tour there. He sustained his injuries when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and lost his right leg.
Once he earned his honorable discharge, Matt earned his Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education from Purdue University in 2018. He earned his Master’s degree in History from Liberty University. He later earned a Master’s degree in Education Leadership and Administration from Indiana State University.
Matt inaugurated his career as an educator at his high school alma mater, Seeger Memorial High School in West Lebanon, Indiana, where he has taught Social Studies and Government since 2018. He also served as an Assistant Coach for the varsity football team.
In 2024, Matt was elected on the Republican ticket to represent his state’s 13th District. The District includes all of Benton and Warren counties, and portions of Fountain, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Tippecanoe, and White counties. He was sworn into office in 2024, and will serve until 2026. He is currently running for re-election. In the State House, Matt serves on the House Local Government Committee; the Natural Resources Committee; and the Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee. He declares he is also greatly interested in issues that relate to education.
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Florida teacher Barbara Goleman was named 1969 National Teacher of the Year
Florida Language Arts teacher Barbara Goleman was recognized as the National Teacher of the Year in 1969. Photo Credit: Barbara Goleman High School
The 1960’s were a politically turbulent time in American history, a time when many Chalkboard Champions made significant contributions toward the social evolution of that time period. One such educator was Barbara Ann Goleman, an award-winning high school teacher from Florida.
Barbara was born and raised in Florida. She attended Florida State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1952 and her Master’s degree in 1954. She inaugurated her teaching career as an English literature instructor at Miami Jackson High School in 1954.
At the beginning of her career, the school’s enrollment was 90% white middle-class students. In 1963, in response to the 1954 Supreme Court ruling Brown vs. Board of Education, the racial segregation that had been prevalent previously in American schools became prohibited. To comply with the desegregation order, Florida began to admit African American students to white schools. By 1966, the student body at Miami Jackson High was 85% African American, predominantly from impoverished families.
To respond to the needs of her new student population, Barbara helped develop innovative instructional programs and demonstrated a nurturing attitude towards all her students. For her efforts, she was recognized with the National Teacher of the Year Award in 1969. She was the first Southerner in 18 years to be so honored, and President Richard Nixon presented the award to Barbara in a White House ceremony.
In 1975, Barbara transferred to North Miami Beach Senior High School as a teacher and staff development specialist for internship programs. Ten years later, she became an administrator for Language Arts at the District Office.
This remarkable educator retired in 1990. In her honor, Barbara Goleman High School, opened in 1995. It was the first school in Miami-Dade County to be named after one of its teachers.
At the school’s dedication ceremony Barbara directed her remarks to those assembled. “What do I wish for you, the students, the teachers, the full staff of this exciting brand new school?” she began. “I wish that every student will feel that people in this school truly care about her or him, that people here believe that learning is the most exciting human endeavor—far beyond mere textbook encounters; that understanding and compassion in our hearts can replace intolerance and animosity and prejudice; that service, not greed, carries honor and self-fulfillment; that we as human beings can make our own meaning out of life; that we can make mistakes and still go on and create new meaning,” she continued. “I wish for every teacher and administrator and service person that this school environment will be warm and supportive, that there be opportunity for growth, that teamwork and cooperation and mutual respect prevail. I wish for this school the highest form of school spirit, love of excellence, honor for sportsmanship and citizenship and scholarship, respect for diversity, simply caring for one another,” she concluded.
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RI school counselor Richard Silva nominated for 2025-2026 LifeChanger Award
School counselor Richard Silva of East Providence, Rhode Island, has been nominated for a 2025-2026 LifeChanger of the Year Award. Photo credit: National Life Group
I am always excited to share the news that an outstanding educator has earned accolades for the work they do in public school classrooms. Today, I share that Richard Silva, a school counselor in Rhode Island, has been named one of 74 nominees for the 2025-2026 LifeChanger of the Year Award distributed by the National Life Group.
Since 2011, the National life Group has recognized and rewarded more than 8,600 K-12 teachers, administrators, and school employees in more than 2,300 school districts across the country. The prestigious award recognizes educators and support personnel who exemplify excellence, leadership, and positive influence in their school community. The winner of the award will garner a $20,000 grand prize, to be shared with the school, and several smaller prizes.
Richard Silva works at East Providence High School in East Providence, Rhode Island. His career as an educator and counselor spans 39 years. during these years, he has been a long-time advisor to both the Student Council and the National Honor Society, where he mentors young leaders and supervises numerous community-based service projects.
As a school counselor, Richard is dedicated to ensuring that every student feels valued and supported. He introduced celebration luncheons for recipients of Student of the Month awards, and he also established numerous awards to recognize teachers and administrators. He also organizes annual appreciation events, including Coffee with a Cop for the school resource officers and weeklong celebrations for the principal, assistant principals, and CTE director.
In addition, the honored counselor is famous for his weekly Wednesday trivia quizzes, which often features fun facts about school staff members. The quiz has become a highly anticipated tradition, with winners receiving prize packages created by and paid for by Richard.
Richard’s influence extends beyond the east Providence High School campus. He has served on both the New England and National Advisory Boards for the College Board. And he collaborated with then-State Representative (now Secretary of State) Greg Amore to advocate for free AP (Advanced Placement) testing for Rhode Island students who receive free or reduced lunch.
“My biggest reward has been working with the thousands of students I’ve met over my career,” declares Richard. “As a school counselor, I would like to think I played a positive role in helping my students start the next chapter of their lives,” he concludes.
To learn more about Richard Silva, click on this link to an article about him published by the East Bay News Group.
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Rhiannon Young of Oregon named wins an OnPoint Educator of the Year prize
Middle school teacher Rhiannon Young of Oregon has been. named a recipient of one of four 2025 OnPoint Educator of the Year prizes. Photo credit: OnPoint
There are many fine educators who work with young people in Oregon state’s public schools. One of them is Rhiannon Young, a teacher in the Corbett School District in the town of Corbett. She has been named a recipient of one of four 2025 OnPoint Educator of the Year prizes.
Rhiannon teaches students in grades seven and eight at Corbett Middle School. In her classroom, she employs hands-on, inclusive, real-world learning activities. For example, she has led her students to trace volcanic flows of Mt. St. Helens and organized an examination of the Dust Bowl through both migrant and indigenous stories. She has also led study-abroad trips to Europe. Her social studies units highlight multiple perspectives from marginalized groups throughout history, such as the post-Revolutionary War and Reconstruction in America. In addition, she leads multi-cultural book clubs to explore novels the students have selected.
And as if all that were not enough, Rhiannon also serves on the site council and district bargaining team, leads K–12 curriculum alignment, mentors new teachers, and oversees academic intervention services. She also partners with the Multnomah Education Service District to align social studies standards, secure grants for arts and science materials that advocate for equity in the student experience.
Rhiannon was born and raised on the Oregon Coast. As a young woman, she graduated from Taft High School in Lincoln City. Once she graduated, she enrolled at the University of Oregon, but later transferred to Portland State University (PSU). She graduated from PSU with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, and then continued with graduate school, earning a Master’s degree in Environmental Law. Discovering her passion for working with young people, she decided to pursue a career in education. Her career as a teacher spans two decades.
The OnPoint Educator of the Year winners will have their rent or mortgage paid for one full year. Additionally, their schools will receive a $2,500 donation for resources and supplies. Runners up will each receive a $5,000 cash award, plus an additional $1,500 to their schools for resources and supplies. Since 2010, OnPoint has awarded more than $843,000 in prizes to 326 local educators and schools. The 2025 campaign will grant an additional $193,000 to deserving educators.
