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.

Janice Faiks: Math teacher, school counselor, Alaska State Senator

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Jan Faiks

Alaska teacher and State Senator Jan Faiks worked with her llamas on her farm. (Photo Credit: Anchorage Daily News

Talented classroom teachers often go on to have successful careers in politics. One teacher who proves this to be true is Jan Faiks, a math teacher and school counselor who served in the Alaska State Senate.

Janice O. Faiks was born on November 17, 1945, at Mitchel Air Force Base in New York. As a young girl, she attended Choctawhatchee High School, where she graduated in 1964. After her high school graduation, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics at Florida State University in 1967. She earned a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, in 1975.

After college, Jan taught mathematics and worked as a school counselor in the Anchorage School District. She worked there from 1968 to 1978. In addition to her work in the classroom, the educator was well known for operating a llama farm.

In 1982, Jan was elected to the Alaska State Senate on the Republican ticket. She served two terms, and became the first woman president of the Alaska State Senate. While there, her biggest claim to fame was that she was one of the key legislators to create the Constitutional Budget Reserve, a savings fund for surplus tax revenues that could be used in times of economic downturn.

After her service in the State Senate, Jan moved to Washington, DC, where she earned a law degree from Georgetown Law Center. She worked for several years as a Congressional staff member. She also served briefly as an assistant secretary with the Mine Safety and Health Administration at the US Labor Department. Finally, she became a lobbyist for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). She retired in 2013.

After her retirement, Jan relocated to Amelia Island, Florida. There the former teacher was diagnosed with brain cancer, and five months later, she passed away on April 10, 2017. She was 71 years old. You can read her obituary at Anchorage Daily News.

PE teacher and community activist Cheryl Chow of Washington

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Physical Education teacher and community activist Cheryl Chow of Seattle, Washington. Photo credit: The Seattle Times

Many dedicated and talented educators make substantial contributions to their local communities. One who has done this is Cheryl Mayre Chow, a physical education teacher from Washington State.

Cheryl was born in Seattle, Washington, on May 24, 1946, the daughter of Chinese restaurant owners Ping and Ruby Chow. As a teenager, Cheryl graduated from Franklin High School, and then enrolled at Western Washington University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Teaching. Later she earned a Master’s degree in Administrative Management from Seattle University.

Upon her graduation from college, the neophyte educator became a physical education teacher. As a teacher, she was known for her toughness, high standards, and tenacious advocacy for children. Eventually she became a principal at first Sharples Junior High (renamed Aki Kurose Junior High) and then Garfield High.

Cheryl’s devotion to young people was very evident. Among her many achievements, she served as the Assistant Director for the Girl Scouts of Western Washington, a girls’ basketball coach for the city parks and recreation department, and she also directed the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team. “Everything that Cheryl did, she worked to instill leadership among the girls and kind of mentor them for their adult lives,” remembers friend Lorena Eng. In addition to this work, Cheryl helped to form an outreach program for teens involved in Asian street gangs.

Cheryl also served as the President of the Seattle School Board and worked at the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. In addition, she served two terms on her local city council.

This Chalkboard Champion passed away from a central nervous system lymphoma on March 29, 2013. She was 66 years of age. She is interred at Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park in Seattle.

To read more about Cheryl Chow, see this obituary at The Seattle Times.

Elem educator Lisa Tripp celebrated in Maine’s Love Teaching Week

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Elementary school science teacher Lisa Tripp was honored by the Maine Department of Education during their Love Teaching Week program. Photo Credit: Maine Department of Education

The state of Maine has brought back its Love Teaching Week program through which they celebrate educators who have left a lasting impact on the lives of their students. The program, which takes place around Valentine’s Day every year, is a national campaign started by educators in 2015. One teacher they have honored this year is Lisa Tripp, an elementary school teacher from York County.

Lisa teaches science to sixth graders at Bonny Eagle Middle School in Buxton. “I teach because the future of the world is in my classroom today,” Lisa says. “I get to help connect my students to their community and beyond as they find ways to make it a better place for all,” she continues. “They come up with new ideas and creative and wonderful views on the world that they see around them, and it just fills my heart with so much hope for a beautiful and amazing future,” she adds.

Lisa says she not only appreciates the beauty of her home state, but she uses it to teach lessons to her students.  “We’re given the opportunity to take our students outside and share that joy of nature with them,” Lisa declares. “We have an opportunity to share with them why Maine is such an incredibly diverse beautiful natural wonder.” She has also been involved in an effort to attract more teachers to relocate to Maine and apply for jobs in public schools there.

Lisa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Liberal Arts from the University of Maine. In addition to her recognition during Love Teaching Week, Lisa was named the York County Teacher of the Year in 2023.

English teacher Renee Atkinson named South Carolina’s 2024 State Teacher of the Year

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High school English teacher Renee Atkinson has been named South Carolina’s 2024 State Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: Horry Georgetown Technical College

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned recognition for their work in the classroom. Today, I share the story of Renee Atkinson, an English teacher from South Carolina. She has been named her state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Renee teaches Language Arts, Advanced Placement Language Arts, and Advanced Placement English Literature at Aynor High School in the Horry County Schools District. She has also held significant roles in the development of the school’s International Baccalaureate program. In a career that spans 21 years in the profession, she has spent 17 of them in Horry County schools.

Renee says she considers building positive relationships with students her most important contribution to education and feels strongly that students must be able to trust her in order to learn. She works to create a culture of inclusivity and open-mindedness in the classroom, encouraging students to be contributing members of the learning community.

When asked to describe her teaching philosophy, Renee instantly responded, “The joy and passion that comes from being a teacher and stories of students that can motivate teachers to stay with it, and continue to work hard for our children.”

Renee earned her Bachelor’s degree in History from Clemson University in 2002. She earned her Master’s in Education in English from Francis Marion University in 2004. She completed the requirements for a degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Liberty University in 2013. She earned her National Board Certification in 2009.

As the South Carolina Teacher of the Year, Renee will serve for one school year as a roving ambassador providing mentoring, attending speaking engagements, working with colleagues, leading the State Teacher Forum, and serving as the sate spokesperson for over 55,000 educators. As part of her recognition as a state teacher of the year, Renee received a $25,000 cash prize and the use of a brand-new BMW for one year.