Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell
Retired teacher and politician Derrick Graham of Kentucky
High school social studies teacher and politician Derrick Graham of Kentucky.
Many fine educators have also earned success in the political realm. One of these is Derrick Graham, a high school social studies teacher from Kentucky. This talented educator also serves in the Kentucky House of Representatives.
Derrick was born in Frankfort, Kentucky. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science in 1980. he earned his Master’s degree in Political Science from Ohio State University in 1982.
Once he earned his degrees, Derrick accepted a position as a social studies teacher at Frankfort High School. He’s now retired from the teaching profession.
Derrick inaugurated his career in politics when he was elected as a Frankfort City Commissioner. In all, he devoted nine years to the Commission, and even served a stint as the mayor pro tem. In 2003, Derrick was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives on the Democratic ticket. he represents District 57. As a State Representative, Derrick has worked tireless to advance educational causes. He has served on the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, the Post-Secondary Education Committee, and the Subcommittee on School Finance. “He has dedicated his life to education and has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities Kentucky faces academically,” House Speaker Greg Stumbo once declared.
In addition to his work in the legislature, Derrick has also served as a member of the Franklin County Council on Family Abuse, the Frankfort Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Frankfort Arts Foundation, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
To learn more about this Chalkboard Champion, see his legislator page at this link: Kentucky General Assembly.
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Educator Jennifer Burdis inducted into Pennsylvania’s Sports Hall of Fame
Educator Jennifer Burdis inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
There are many examples of dedicated educators who are also exceptional athletes. One of these is Jennifer Burdis, an elementary school educator originally from Pennsylvania. She has recently been inducted into her state’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Jennifer was raised in the small town of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. There she attended Blue Mountain High School. Even as a young student, she excelled in volleyball and basketball. She also participated in track and field. In 2006, Jennifer was inducted into the Blue Mountain High School Sports Hall of Fame.
After her high school graduation, Jennifer enrolled at Penn State. There she played volleyball, earning All Academic Big Ten Awards 1994 to 1997. Her team won three Big Ten volleyball championships and appeared in the Final Four three times.
Following her college graduation, Jennifer launched her career as an educator. She moved to California and accepted a position as a second grade school teacher. There she started training Brazilian jiu jitsu, sometimes twice a day. She even earned her blue belt. She also completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Reading and Writing Curriculum Instruction from San Diego State University. In a career as an educator that has already spanned 20 years, Jennifer has taught second, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. She currently teaches at R. Roger Rowe Elementary in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Jennifer is an NCSA Certified Personal Trainer. She’s also been a competitor on seasons 6 and 7 of American Ninja Warrior. And as if all that were not enough, she also authored the book The EduNinja Mindset: 11 Habits for Building a Healthier Mind and Body. Jennifer inspires her students and colleagues to focus on physical fitness, mindfulness, and healthy food choices.
Read more about Jennifer on her website at this link: Jen Burdis.
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Maritcha Remond Lyons: A teacher with many talents
Educator Maritcha Remond Lyons: teacher, musician, and published author.
I always love to share stories about teachers who have accomplished heroic achievements. One such teacher is Maritcha Remond Lyons, an African American woman who served the New York City public school system for forty-eight years. She was also an accomplished musician, an avid writer, and a published author.
Maritcha was born on May 23, 1848, in New York City, the third of five children born to parents Albro and Mary (Marshall) Lyons. She was raised in New York’s free black community, where her father operated a boarding house and outfitting store for black sailors on the docks of New York’s Lower East Side. Her parents emphasized the importance of making the best of oneself, and they also modeled the significance of helping others.
A sickly child, Maritcha was nevertheless dedicated to gaining an education. Maritcha once said she harbored a “love of study for study’s sake.” She was enrolled in Colored School Number 3 in Manhattan, which was governed by Charles Reason, a former teacher at the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia.
Maritcha’s parents were abolitionists, and were both active in the Underground Railroad. Obviously, these activities were not without dangers. The family home came under attack several times during the New York City Draft Riots of July, 1863, when Maritcha was just a teenager. The family escaped to safety in Salem, Massachusetts, but after the danger passed, her parents insisted on sending their children to lie in Providence, Rhode Island. In Providence, Maritcha was refused enrollment in the local high school because she was African American. Because there was no school for black students, her parents sued the state of Rhode Island and won their case, helping to end segregation in that state. When she graduated, Maritcha was the first black student to graduate from Providence High School.
After her high school graduation, Maritcha returned to New York, where she enrolled in Brooklyn Institute to study music and languages, When she graduated in 1869, she accepted a teaching position at one of Brooklyn’s first schools for African American students, Colored School Number 1.
Maritcha’s worked first as an elementary school teacher, then as an assistant principal, and finally as a principal. During her nearly fifty-year career, she co-founded the White Rose Mission in Manhattan’s San Juan Hill District, which provided resources to migrants from the South and immigrants from the West Indies.
This remarkable chalkboard hero passed away at the age of eighty on January 28, 1929. To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, click on this link to BlackPast.
