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.

Dr. Cornel Pewewardy inducted into OK Educators Hall of Fame

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I am always excited when an outstanding educator earns recognition for their contributions to the teaching profession. That’s what this blog and website is all about! Today, I am excited to write about the selection of Cornel Pewewardy to the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame.

Dr. Cornel Pewewardy has been named a 2024 inductee into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame. Photo credit: Oklahoma Educators Hal of Fame

Cornel is best-known for his research and scholarship, which have greatly influenced public and higher education, especially for Native American students, educators, and administrators. Through this research, he challenged and expanded the understanding of Indigenous education, teacher training, and tribal leadership preparation throughout the state of Oklahoma and nationwide.

With lineage that traces back to Comanche and Kiowa roots, Cornel once served as the Vice Chair of the Comanche Nation. He currently serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Central Oklahoma, a professor-of-practice at Kansas State University, and as an adjunct faculty member at numerous colleges and universities in Oklahoma and across the country. In addition, he’s an author and frequent presenter on Indigenous education issues.

Cornel inaugurated his career in education as a recreation assistant for Sequoyah Indian High School in Tahlequah in 1975. He then went on to serve in positions with the Bureau of Indian Affairs; the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico; the University of Oklahoma; the University of Minneapolis; Saint Paul (Minnesota) Public Schools; the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha; Cameron University in Lawton; Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio; Haskell Indian Nations University and the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas; Comanche Nation College in Lawton; Portland State University in Oregon; and Kansas State University. He also founded the Comanche Academy Charter School in Lawton.

Cornel earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Northeastern State University (Tahlequah), a second Master’s degree from New Mexico State University, a post-graduate certificate from the University of New Mexico, and his PhD from Pennsylvania State University.

His induction into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame is not the only recognition Cornel has earned. He has been named the Big XII Outstanding American Indian Faculty of the Year five times, and he also received the Crystal Eagle Award for Outstanding Leadership at the University of Kansas. He has also received the National Indian Education Association Lifetime Achievement Award, and honors from the University of Kansas Endowment Association, Portland State University, the Oregon Indian Education Association, and the Oklahoma Council for Indian Education.

Congratulations, Dr. Cornel Pewewardy!

Educator Catherine Bell of Texas, member of her state’s Hall of Fame

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For her extensive body of work as an educator, former classroom teacher and administrator Catherine Bell was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: Texas Woman’s University

Many excellent educators achieve honors of distinction for their work in the profession. One of these was Catherine Bell, a classroom teacher, administrator, educational innovator, and teachers’ union leader from Texas. For her extensive body of work as an educator, she was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame.

Catherine Bell was born on June 29, 1907, in Groveton, Texas. After her graduation from high school, young Catherine earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Bachelor University. She earned both her Master’s degree and her PhD from the University of Houston, and she also completed courses at the University of Chicago.

After earning her degrees, Catherine accepted a position as a teacher in the Houston Independent School District, where she taught for 11 years. She spent the next four years as a principal at Port Houston Elementary School. She spent 14 years as the District’s Assistant Director of Elementary Education, and then was appointed the Director of Elementary Education, where she served for nine years. In addition, she served as the Area IV Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools, and then as Assistant Superintendent for K-12 Basic Skills. During these years, she co-authored the Developmental Science Series and Skill Building Series books.

In addition to her work as an administrator, Catherine served as a member of the White House Conference on Education in both 1955 and 1960. She represented the United States at The World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession in Paris, Dublin, Abidjan, and Sidney. She was also a member of both the Board of Examiners on Teacher Education and of the Texas Commission on Science. In addition, she was elected president of the Texas State Teachers Association in 1954.

In all, Catherine served as a professional educator for 47 years. She retired in 1976. For her body of work in the field, Catherine was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in 1984. Kate Bell Elementary School in Houston was named in her honor. She was also named a life member of the Texas State Teachers Association and an Honorary Life Trustee of the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation.

Catherine Bell passed away on Feb. 25, 2003. She was 95 years old.

Maryland educator Jessica Nichols garners honors

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High school Social Studies Jessica Nichols has been named the 2025 Howard County Public Schools System Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Jessica Nichols

I am always eager to share the story of an outstanding educator who works in one of our nation’s public schools. Today, I share the story of Jessica Nichols, a high school Social Studies teacher from Eldridge, Maryland. She has been named the 2025 Howard County Public Schools System (HCPSS) Teacher of the Year.

Jessica teaches at River Hill High School in Clarksville, Maryland. In a career that was inaugurated in 2001, she has spent the last ten of them at River Hill. There she serves on the school leadership team, sponsors clubs, coaches speeches and debates, and organizes professional development workshops.

Before Jessica accepted her position at River Hill she taught at Wilde Lake High School. There many of her students came from impoverished homes. “At Wilde Lake, I used to have a food closet because I would have kids who wouldn’t eat over the weekend,” remembers Jessica, “and I knew when they came to my class you have to do a hierarchy of needs. You have to meet the basic needs before they are going to want to care about AP economics, and government, and psychology,” she says. “No questions asked; if you needed something, you went in the food closet and picked up something to eat and then you jumped right back into the lesson,” she continued.

Her selection as the 2025 HCPSS Teacher of the Year is not the only honor Jessica has earned. In 2024, she was named the Coca Cola Teacher of Distinction, and she was named the Teacher of the Year at River Hill High School. In 2019, she garnered a 

Jessica earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Maryland in 2001. She completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Human Resource Development from Towson University in 2020. In addition, she is a National Board Certified Teacher.

 

Mathematics teacher Kristy Bishop of Washington state earns honors

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High school mathematics and CTE teacher Kristy Bishop has been named Washington state’s 2025 North Central Regional Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: North Central Educational Service District

How amazing are our nation’s public school educators? Very amazing, I must say. And one of these amazing teaches is Kristy Bishop, a mathematics and CTE (Consumer and Technology Education) teacher from Moses Lake in Washington. She has been named the 2025 North Central Regional Teacher of the Year.

Kristy has been teaching at Moses Lake High School for the past 25 years. There she instructs courses in Consumer Finance, AP Statistics, and Precalculus. She also performs the role of Community Outreach Coordinator for the Quincy School District. In addition, she has participated in several site-level committees, assisted in a large-scale book adoption, and coordinated a major technology adoption. And, as if all that were not enough, she has served as her Math Department Chair, as a mentor for new teachers, and as a union representative.

In her classroom, Kristy is known for fostering a respectful, professional, and compassionate learning environment. And she has a reputation for supporting developmental growth, for encouraging students to be their best selves, and with connecting with her students. In fact, she works diligently to build strong relationships that continue long after graduation.

Her curriculum is designed to have significant meaning for those enrolled in her courses. “Making [real-world] connections for students is not something that happens in a given lesson or activity,” Kristy declares. “It is a daily commitment to learning about and supporting my students as they work to accomplish their own goals.” The effort does not go unnoticed by her students. To show her how much they appreciate her, she has been honored as one of the school’s Staff of the Year in both 2023 and 2024.

This outstanding classroom teacher is a native of Moses Lake. Both her parents are retired educators.