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.

AR elementary teacher Jeanie Wilcoxon named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary school educator Jeanie Wilcoxon of Little Rock, Arkansas, was named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Jeanie Wilcoxon

I always enjoy sharing the story of an outstanding educator who has earned accolades for her work in the classroom. Today I share the story of Jeanie Wilcoxon, an elementary school teacher from Arkansas. She has been named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

Jeanie teaches mathematics to fourth graders at Chenal Elementary School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Over the course of her 25 years as a professional educator, she has developed a proven method for helping her students succeed. In fact, her students consistently score in the top 3% of all math students in her state. And her students consistently maintain high math scores on the Northwest Evaluation Association, with 80% of her students meeting their goals for growth in math.

In addition to her work at Chenal Elementary, the honored educator has also served at the high school level as an Assistant Volleyball Coach from 2016 to 2022. From 2010 to 2011, she was a fifth-grade language arts teacher in the Dumas School District, and prior to that, she taught multiple grades in Iberville Parish Schools in Plaquemine, Louisiana.

Jeanie’s selection as Arkansas’s 2025 Teacher of the Year is not the only recognition she has received. In 2007 she was named Iberville Parish Teacher of the Year. She was also named the Pulaski County Special School District Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024 and the Iberville Parish Teacher of the Year the same year. She is a member of the Order of Omega leadership honor society.

Jeanie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Secondary Physical Education from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. She earned her teaching certificate in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University. In addition, she has experience working as a tutor and a mentor teacher.

Congratulations, Jeanie Wilcoxon!

Prudence Crandall: The intrepid teacher named Connecticut Female State Hero

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Prudence Crandall

Teacher Prudence Crandall: The Chalkboard Hero who taught African American students. Photo credit: Public Domain

There are many courageous teachers who have made great sacrifices for the sake of their students. One of these was Quaker Prudence Crandall, a Connecticut teacher who lost everything she owned in order to educate African American girls in a time when doing so was unheard of.

In 1831, Prudence opened a boarding school for young ladies in Canterbury, Connecticut. By the end of the first year, she had earned the praise of parents, community members, and students throughout New England.

Then one day an African American student named Sarah Harris asked to be admitted to the academy. Sarah said she wanted to learn how to be a teacher so she could open her own school for Black students. Prudence knew admitting an African American student would generate some resistance from her neighbors, but after some soul-searching, she decided her conscience and her religious convictions would not allow her to refuse the request. Unfortunately, Prudence had severely under-estimated the resistance she would encounter for this decision.

Figuring the complaint from her detractors was that she was operating an integrated school, the intrepid teacher closed her academy for white girls and re-opened as an academy for “misses of color.” That just made the situation worse. Her action caused ripples all the way up to the US Supreme Court and resulted in Prudence’s brief incarceration in the local jail. After lawless community members set fire to her school, Prudence was forced to close the academy and leave town.

Years later, however, the courageous stance taken by Prudence Crandall resulted in the intrepid teacher being named the Female State Hero for Connecticut. You can read more of the gripping account of what happened in my second book, Chalkboard Heroes, now available on amazon.com.

Kansas teacher Mamie Dillard was a suffragist and civil rights activist

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Kansas teacher Mamie Dillard was a suffragist and civil rights activist. Photo credit: Public Domain

Many excellent classroom teachers also work tirelessly to improve society as a whole. One of these is Mamie J. Dillard, an African American teacher and suffragist from Kansas.

Mamie was born Mary Jane Dillard in Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, on September 10, 1874. Although her name was Mary Jane, she always preferred to be called Mamie. Her parents, Jesse and Fannie Dillard, were both born in Virginia. Neither of them could read or write. The family moved to Kansas in 1870.  As a young girl, Mamie was an excellent student. She graduated from Lawrence High School with top grades. In fact, she was the only African American in her graduating class.

The future educator earned her Bachelor’s degree from Kansas University in 1896. Once she earned her degree, she launched her career as an educator at the Pinckney Elementary School in Lawrence. One of her most famous students there was famous Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes. In 1909, Mamie attended graduate school at the University of Kansas, where she studied English and special education. Once she completed her courses there, she accepted a position as the principal of the Lincoln School, a local segregated elementary school. In addition to her responsibilities at the school, Mamie was appointed delegate to the Negro National Educational Congress in 1916.

All her life, Mamie devoted herself to improving her community. She was an ardent activist for women’s suffrage. She promoted rights and votes for women and civil rights and leadership for the African Americans in her area. She was active in the African American Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. She was also a member of the Double Six Club, the Home and Garden Club, and the Sierra Leone Club. In addition, she was a patron of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.  in 1933, of the Self Culture Club, a local organization for African American women. In 1933, Mamie became a member of the Self Culture Club, an organization that promoted education and community building among working mothers.

This Chalkboard Champion passed away in her home town of Lawrence on November 24, 1954. She was 80 years old. She was interred at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence.

To read more about Mamie Dillard, see this article printed online in the Kansaspedia.

Former child star Christopher Castile declares teaching his true calling

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Former child star Christopher Castile says teaching is his true calling. He now teaches US History in California. Photo Credit: the Downey Legend

Many individuals who are talented actors go on to become excellent classroom teachers. One of these is Christopher Castile, a former child star who now teaches both at the high school and at the college level in California.

Christopher was born on June 15, 1980, in Orange County in Southern California. His career in acting began when he was only seven years old. He did a number of television commercials. But he earned his greatest fame for his role as Ted Newton in the 1992 family comedy Beethoven and the subsequent 1993 sequel Beethoven’s 2nd. He also portrayed Mark Foster in 160 episodes of the hit ABC television sitcom Step by Step. The show ran for seven seasons, from 1992 to 1998. In 1991, Christopher also appeared in three episodes of the ABC sitcom Going Places, where he portrayed Sam Roberts, in addition to numerous other appearances. Christopher also voiced the character of Eugene Horowitz on the Nickelodeon series Hey Arnold!

When Christopher’s career in acting came to a conclusion, he earned first a Bachelor’s and then a Master’s degree, both from California State University at Long Beach. He then accepted a position at Downey High School in Downey, California, where he currently teaches US History. He also teaches political science courses at Biola University in La Mirada, California.

In addition to acting, Christopher is also an author. He published his autobiography for young adults entitled Being You is Most Definitely Cool in 1996.

Christopher once said that, despite his success as an actor, teaching is his true calling. He revealed that he finds teaching far more fulfilling than acting. He always finds a way to fill his class with humor and a positive environment, he says, and this makes his students pay attention and truly understand the lessons.

He also admits that teaching high school is more challenging than teaching at the college level. “Being a high school teacher, I actually have to be good at what I do,” he confessed. “In college it’s up to the students to get the material. Being a college professor, you don’t necessarily have to be good at teaching, but know what you’re talking about.”

To read more about Christopher Castile, see this story published by The Downey Legend.