Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell
Cherie Dandurand, Iowa social studies teacher, succumbs to Covid
Cherie Dandurand, a beloved social studies teacher in Moville, Iowa, has succumbed to Covid-19. (Photo credit: Sioux City Journal)
Sadly, we report that Cherie Dandurand, a beloved social studies teacher in Moville, Iowa, has succumbed to Covid-19. She passed away on Jan. 6, 2021, at the age of 53.
Cherie was born Oct. 1, 1967. As a youngster, she attended Prairie High School School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she graduated in 1986. There she was a member of the National Honor Society, and she excelled as an athlete. In fact, as a senior, she was recognized as the All-Around Female Athlete of the Year.
After her high school graduation, Cherie enrolled at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, where earned her Bachelor’s degree from Loras College in 1990. There she excelled in both volleyball and basketball. In 2010, Cherie earned her Master’s degree from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska.
In 1991, Cherie inaugurated her teaching career as a middle school history teacher at Woodbury Central in Moville, Iowa. Her career there spanned 30 years. In addition to her classroom responsibilities, she was also a Head Coach and Assistant Coach for volleyball and basketball, and she served as the president of the Woodbury Central Education Association. “She was part of our safety committee. She was part of our leadership team. She was also a member of her school’s Character Counts Committee and part of our School Improvement Team.
According to Woodbury Central School District Superintendent Douglas Glackin, the fallen educator, “Loved working with kids, was able to reach out, especially struggling kids and get them more involved in school.”
Cherie was involved in many community activities as well. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, and she was active in Boy Scouts as the Chairwoman of the Troop Committee. In her free time, this amazing educator was an avid reader.
To read more about Cherie, see her obituary published in The Gazette.
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Florida science teacher Bertha Vazquez has won accolades
Middle school science teacher Bertha Vazquez of Miami Dade Public Schools in Florida has won many accolades for her work in the classroom. (Photo credit: freeflo.org)
I always enjoy sharing stories about one of the many fine science educators in our country. One of these is Bertha Vazquez, an award-winning science teacher from Miami Dade County Public Schools in Florida. She has won many accolades for her work in the classroom.
Bertha teaches earth science, physical science, and life science at George Washington Carver Middle School in Miami Dade, Florida. Her career there has spanned 30 years. In addition to her responsibilities in the classroom, she serves as the director of the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science (TIES), a program connected with the Center for Inquiry and the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.
Bertha earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, suma cum laude, from the University of Miami in 1989. She completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Science Education from Florida International University in 1999. She was also named to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 1999.
For her work as an educator, Bertha has earned many accolades. In 2008, she was named the South Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair Middle School Teacher of the Year. She garnered the Miami Dade Middle School Science Teacher of the Year Award in both 2008 and 1997, and in 1998 she was a finalist for Miami Dade Teacher of the Year. Bertha was also named a Premio Verde Escolar in 2012. She earned a Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM grant in 2014, a Charles C. Bartlett Award for the National Environmental Education Foundation in 2009, and a Verizon Foundation Grant for Educators in 2011.
To learn more about Bertha’s work, see this link to the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science. You could also check out this link to the Center for Inquiry.
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Mary Boergers: Teacher, member of Maryland House of Reps
Former high school history teacher Mary Boergers also served in the Maryland House of Representatives and in the Maryland Senate. (Photo credit: www.ourcampaigns.com)
I always enjoy sharing stories about dedicated classroom teachers who also make their mark in politics. One of these is Mary Boergers, a teacher from Maryland who served in her state’s House of Representatives and Senate.
Mary was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on Feb. 10, 1946. Her father worked for an insurance company, and her mother was a high school English teacher. Mary’s childhood was not an easy one. Her father was an alcoholic who spent time in an institution before he died when Mary was 15. After his death, her mother, moved the family to Minneapolis.
Once she graduated from high school, Mary enrolled at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1968. She earned her master’s degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, in 1970. After she earned her degrees, Mary accepted a position as a history and government teacher at Rockville High School in Montgomery County, Maryland. Her career as an educator spanned six years, from 1970 to 1976.
Mary inaugurated her career in politics when she became a lobbyist for the National Organization for Women (NOW). She also worked as a fund-raiser for Representative Michael D. Barnes. In 1981, the former teacher was appointed a delegate to the Maryland General Assembly representing the 17th and 18th Districts. There she served on the Ways and Means Committee, the House of Delegates, and the Economic Matters Committee. She also served as the president of Women Legislators of Maryland from 1990 to 1991. In 1990, Mary was elected to the Maryland State Senate on the Democratic ticket. She served in that post from 1991 to 1995. While serving in her various political roles, Mary was especially interested in policies that involved education, women’s rights, drug abuse, crime prevention, labor relations, and the environment.
To learn more about Mary Boergers, see this article about her published in The Washington Post.
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CA music educator Glen Nakahara succumbs to Covid-19
Sadly, we report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of Glen Nakahara, a beloved and talented music teacher from Garden Grove, California. He succumbed to the disease on July 26, 2020.
Sadly, we report the passing of yet another beloved and talented educator to Covid-19. Glen Nakahara, an elementary school music teacher from Garden Grove, Orange County, California, succumbed to the disease on July 26, 2020. He was 61 years old.
Glen was born on Sept. 15, 1958. He graduated from Santiago High School in Garden Grove, California. Following his high school graduation, Glen enrolled at California State University, Long Beach, where he earned his degree in 1981. While there, he played the trumpet in the university’s marching band.
Glen’s career as a music educator spanned 30 years. He inaugurated his career at Lindbergh Middle School in Long Beach, where he taught for 10 years. He spent the last 20 years of his career at Jackie Robinson Academy in Long Beach. The beloved educator touched the lives of thousands of students, remembered Robinson Academy Principal Salvadore Madrigal. “He loved this school, and we all are heartbroken with his loss. He has left so many memories and a wonderful legacy behind,” Madrigal asserted.
In addition to his classroom activities, the talented musician performed as the lead trumpet player in the marching band that performed in the Disneyland Parade. He also performed in the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics.
To read more about Glen Nakahara, click on this link to the Orange County Register.
