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.

Texas teacher Jeff Wilson lost in catastrophic Texas floods

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Teachers at Kingwood Park High School are mourning the loss of Jeff Wilson, a Career Technology educator who perished in the catastrophic floods that hit Kerrville, Texas, on July 4. Photo credit: KHOU-11

The community of professional educators in the Humble County, Northeast Houston in Texas, is mourning the loss one of their own. Jeff Wilson, a teacher at Kingwood Park High School and his wife, Amber, and son, Shiloh, perished in the catastrophic floods that hit Kerrville, Texas, in the early morning hours of July 4.

In a career that spanned 30 years, Jeff taught Career Technology at both Kingwood Park High School. He instructed courses in collision repair and auto body refinishing. He also taught at Humble High School in the same school district.

In addition to his work at the high school, Jeff also spent 14 years as an instructor for I-Car, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Repair. He once said I-CAR courses are valuable to his students because of the knowledge and skills they provide, which makes his students more employable. I-CAR has reported that over the years, 98% of Jeff’s students achieved Platinum ProLevel 1 status.

Family friend Johnny Dudley remembers the popular teacher with fondness. “Jeff has been my friend for over 25 years. We went to a bunch of the same rodeos back when he was riding,” he recalls. “Now his 12-year-old son Shiloh is riding and Jeff loves nothing more than to haul him to junior rodeos. We know that they were in Kerrville for a rodeo.” Dudley continues. In his day, says Dudley, Jeff rode steers, bulls, and saddle bronc horses. He was forced to give up the activity in 2004 because of injuries he sustained from a motorcycle accident.

The Humble Independent School District (ISD) encompasses the city of Humble, parts of Houston (including Kingwood), and portions of unincorporated Harris County (including Atascocita and Fall Creek), with a small section extending into Montgomery County.

Jeff and his family will be greatly missed, say all who knew him.

WY music teacher Collin Binko garners prestigious Milken Educator Award

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Music educator Collin Binko of Jackson, Wyoming, has garnered a prestigious 2025 Milken Educator Award. Photo credit: Cowboy State Daily

In an atmosphere where Fine Arts are often undervalued, there are many educators throughout our country who continuously push forward to teach these courses in their schools. One of them, Collin Binko, teaches music to students of all ages in an entire district in Jackson, Wyoming. His efforts are so appreciated, that he has been named a 2024-2025 Milken Educator.

In addition to his role as the District Fine Arts Coordinator for Teton County Public Schools. Collin also teaches courses in choir, band, orchestra, and guitar at Jackson Hole High School.

A saxophone player, Collin completed his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2013.

According to the Milken Foundation, Collin earned the honor because he uses music to inspire students in a district where a third of the learners are multilingual. He’s credited with transforming the high school Fine Arts programs at both the middle school and the high school level. In fact, he doubled the enrollment in choir courses in each grade until all his classes were full to capacity. He relates music theory to core subjects such as math and reading. Collin produced the middle school’s first musical and included high schoolers who wanted to participate, while creating partnerships between the school and community groups such as the Cathedral Voices Chamber Choir.

Collin is one of only 45 educators nationwide to be honored with a Milken Educator Award this year. These prestigious honors have been described by Teacher Magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching.” In addition to the $25,000 cash prize and public recognition, the award includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 2,700 exemplary teachers, principals, and specialists from all over the country whose work strengthens best practices in education. To learn more, click on Milken Educator Awards.

 

Native American educator and Chalkboard Champion Minerva Allen of Montana

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Native American educator Minerva Crantz Allen worked in Early Childhood Education  near her childhood home on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Lodge Pole, Montana. Photo credit: Legacy.com

Throughout our country’s history, there have been notable Native American educators who have worked with young people in our schools. One of these was Minerva Crantz Allen, a member of the Assiniboine tribe from Montana.

Minerva, whose Native name was Sunk’ Pa (Chipmunk), was born on April 24, 1934, in Big Warm, located in north central Montana. Her father, Ernest Crantz Sr., was of French Chipewyan descent, and her mother, Felistis Chopwood, was born in the Gros Ventre sect of the Assiniboine tribe.

As a young child, Minerva grew up on the Fort Belknap Reservation in a traditional lodge. Montana winters were bitter cold, but the lodge was insulated with pine branches and animal hides, and a fire pit in the center of the structure kept everyone warm. The elders entertained the children through storytelling, passing down traditions and tales that Minerva would pass down to her own children and grandchildren through her poetry.

When she was only six years old, Minerva began her education, learning to speak English from missionaries. After elementary school, Minerva enrolled at Flandreau Indian High School in South Dakota. Next, she studied at Northern Montana College (now known as Montana State University, Northern), although she earned her Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University. Later she completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Counseling from MSU, Northern. In addition, she earned a Master’s degree in Teaching with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Weber State College in Ogden, Utah.

Once she earned her degrees, Minerva inaugurated her career as an educator in the Hays Lodge Pole School District. Her work there spanned a total of 20 years. She worked primarily in the area of Early Childhood Education, and she was also extensively involved with teacher training.

In addition to her responsibilities as an educator, Minerva served on the Board of Directors at Aaniiih Nakoda College, the Bilingual Director and Federal Programs Director for Hays Lodge Pole Schools, and the President of the Montana Bilingual Education Association.

Minerva was also a celebrated author. She published of several books of poetry, including Vanishing Braves (1987), Spirits Rest (1981), Inktomi and the Ducks (1986), Stories by Our Elders: The Fort Belknap People (1983), and Nakoda Sky People (2012).

Sadly, this talented and accomplished educator passed away on May 24, 2024. She was 90 years old.

MO Business Ed teacher Theresa Taylor garners award

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High school business teacher Theresa Taylor has garnered as 2025 Regional Teacher of the Year Award from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Photo credit: Cape Girardeau Public Schools

It is always exciting when a member of our professional community is honored for their work in the classroom. One of these members is Theresa Taylor, a high school Business Education teacher from Missouri. She has garnered a 2025 Regional Teacher of the Year Award from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Theresa currently teaches computer readiness and college readiness courses at Cape Central High School in the Cape Girardeau, Missouri. She also serves as the campus advisor for the CHS Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Furthermore, she is the building technology support provider and manages the school’s social media account. In a career that spans 25 years, she has worked at the school for 22 of them. Prior to teaching there, she taught at Delta High School.

Her passions are working to decrease the dropout rate, says Theresa. And she also spends a great deal of energy assisting first-generation and poverty-stricken students in their journey to college or trade school. To accomplish this, Theresa declares, building relationships is a priority in hr classroom.

She is also a committed lifelong learner and, over the course her career, she has attended over 70 local, state, and national conferences. She has been a presented at least 40 times. “For me, conferences and networking are the key,” Theresa confesses. “Through conferences and workshops I have been able to stay on top of the changes in technology and new teaching strategies,” she says.

Theresa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, in 1984. She earned her Master’s degree in Secondary Education from the same institution.

To lern more about Theresa, click on this link to an interview with her by the Missouri State Teachers Association.