Category Archives: Education

Kathryn Locke-Jones named Maryland’s 2024-2025 State Teacher of the Year

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English/Language Arts teacher Kathryn Locke-Jones has been named the Maryland State teacher of the Year for 2024-2025. (Photo credit: Kathryn Locke-Jones)

There are many dedicated educators working in our nation’s schools who are deserving of accolades. One of them is Kathryn Locke-Jones, a junior high school teacher who has been named Maryland’s State Teacher of the Year for 2024-2025.

Kathryn, who is often called Kat, teaches English/Language Arts to seventh graders at Hampstead Hill Academy in Baltimore, Maryland. In the years she has taught there, she initiated the school’s National History Day program and launched a writing center to support multi-lingual learners. And her efforts have garnered remarkable results. Her students have earned the highest seventh grade score on state assessments for five years in a row. Kat has taught in Baltimore City Public Schools for 12 years.

Kat says she is passionate about creating safe spaces for her students and helping them find their voice so they can tell their stories. She believes that a teacher’s greatest honor is to hand students a pen.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Kat co-founded SL24, a nonprofit foundation to educate, assist, and support students with their mental health. Her work has created a positive impact on more than 90,000 educators. Since 2019, SL24 has raised more than $4 million for mental health education and created Sean’s House, a  free 24/7 mental health safe haven for young adults between the ages 14 and 24. Since its opening in 2020, more than 32,000 people have been served by Sean’s House.

Garnering the State Teacher of the Year award is not the only honor Kat has earned. In 2019 she was named a 2019 Kennedy Leadership Award Winner for Excellence in Teaching, in recognition of having a profound impact with students and communities.

Kat earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Education from the University of Delaware in 2013. She earned her Master’s degree in education from Johns Hopkins University in 2015.

Richard Fujiwara: PE teacher and decorated US Army veteran

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Elementary school teacher Richard Fujiwara was also a decorated US Army veteran. (Photo credit: Daily Bulletin)

Many educators who have served in America’s public schools have also served our nation in the Armed Services. One of these is Richard Fujiwara, an elementary teacher who served in the US Army during the VietNam War.

Richard was born in Upland, California, on Dec. 5, 1946. As a youngster he was raised in Chino, where he attended Chino High School. He graduated from the school in 1964. After his graduation, Richard served in VietNam, where he showed exceptional valor, earning a Purple Heart, a Green Medal, and a Bronze Star.

Once he returned to California, Richard attended Cal Poly Pomona, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and his teaching credential. Once he earned his degrees, Richard accepted a position as an elementary physical education teacher at Citrus Elementary in the Upland Unified School District. Later he taught fourth grade at Baldy View Elementary School and at Pepper Tree Elementary. His final assignment before retirement was as an itinerant Physical education teacher at the elementary level.

In his retirement, Richard volunteered countless hours at the USO and travelled, and played golf and tennis. Richard passed away on Nov. 6, 2025. He is interred at Riverside National Cemetery .

Matilda Mossman: The health and Pe teacher who became an award-winning basketball coach

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Former high school health and physical education teacher Matilda Mossman became an award-winning university basketball coach prior to her retirement in 2021. Photo credit: Tulsa University

Many outstanding college coaches launched their careers as physical education teachers in one of America’s public schools. One of these is Matilda Mossman, an award-winning high school basketball coach who also served as the former Head Basketball Coach for the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Matilda was born on Aug. 7, 1956 in Campbellsville, Kentucky. After her graduation from high school, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Physical education in 1970 and her Master’s degree in Education in 1980, both from Western Kentucky.located in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

After earning her degrees, Matilda launched her career as a health and physical education teacher at Normal Community High School in Normal, Illinois. She also served as the girls basketball coach there. She worked at the school from 1994 to 2001.

The next year, Matilda relocated to Norman Oklahoma, where she served as the assistant girls basketball coach at Norman North High School. That year, her team completed the season with a 22-4 record and advanced to the Class 6A state semi-finals.

The next year, Matilda was named the Head Basketball Coach at Norman High. She served in that role from 2002 to 2011. During those years, her teams logged an overall record of 191-53 for a winning percentage of nearly 80%. During her tenure, Matilda’s teams qualified for the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Athletic Association (OSSAA) Class 6A State Tournament in the last eight of her nine seasons, and they won eight straight regional championships. In fact, Matilda led Norman High to the state title in 2005, and runner-up in 2010.  For her efforts, she was named the Conference Coach of the Year three times, while earning Regional and District Coach of the Year honors twice.

In 2011, Matilda was appointed Head Basketball Coach at the University of Tulsa, where she served ten seasons. She took over a five-win team and in just her second year won a conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. She retired from coaching in 2021.

“My entire life has evolved around being a basketball coach. And I have had the time of my life!” Matilda declared at the time of her retirement. “Mark Twain once said, ‘Find a job you enjoy doing and you will never work a day in your life.’ That is certainly what I have done,” she concluded.

Educator and politician Mary Helen Garcia of New Mexico

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Former educator Mary Helen Garcia also served in the New Mexico House of Representatives. Photo credit: New Mexico Legislature

There are many examples of fine classroom teachers who also become successful politicians. One of these is Mary Helen Garcia, an elementary school teacher and principal from New Mexico, who also served in her state’s House of Representatives.

Mary Helen was born on July 14, 1937, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1960 and her Master’s degree in 1976, both from New Mexico University.

Mary Helen worked as a teacher first at Gadsden Public Schools, where she was employed from 1960 to 1961. From 1967 to 1992 she taught in Las Cruces Public Schools. She served as the Director of Instruction for Las Cruces schools from 1993 to 1999 to the present. She also served as an elementary school principal in Las Cruces from 1993 to 1999. She is now retired from the teaching profession.

In 1996, this hardworking educator was elected on the Democratic ticket to serve in her state’s House of Representatives. She represented District 34 there from 1997 to 2015. While in the House, Mary Helen was the Chairwoman for the Committee on Voters and Elections; a member of the Appropriations and Finance Committee; and a member of the Committees for Education and Business and Industry. She has also served as the Chair of the New Mexico District Democratic Party from 1997 to the present time.

In addition to her professional and political responsibilities, Mary Helen is a member of the National Education Association, the International Association of Reading, the Association of Curriculum and Instruction, the Dona Ana Arts Council, and the Pan American Round Table.

To learn more about this amazing educator, see her profile on VoteSmart.

Chalkboard Champion Jean Kirk Kuczka of Missouri protected her students with her life

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Chalkboard Champion Jean Kirk Kucska, a secondary school teacher from St. Louis, Missouri, gave her life to protect her students from a gunman. (Photo credit; MEAAW)

In the history of our country, there have been times when an educator has been so dedicated to his or her students that they may even lay down their life to protect them. One of these is Jean Kirk Kuczka, a secondary school teacher from St. Louis, Missouri.

Jean was born in St. Louis on March 7, 1961. As a high school student, she discovered a passion for education while teaching swimming lessons at a local YMCA. Once she graduated from Lindbergh High School, she enrolled at Missouri State University on a field hockey scholarship. There she earned a degree in both physical education and health. As a college student, Jean was a part of the 1979 Missouri State University National Championship Field Hockey team. In 2010, she was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Once she earned her degrees, Jean taught health and physical education courses at Central Visual & Performing Arts High School. She also coached the school’s Cross Country team. She had been working there since 2008. She loved her job, and she loved her students. In fact, she once said, “I cannot imagine myself in any other career but teaching.” Her career as an educator led to numerous awards, including a national honor recognizing her school’s accomplishments in health and wellness under her leadership.

On Oct. 24, 2022, a former student came back to the school with a gun. The intrepid teacher shielded students from the gunman, telling her kids to jump out the windows to escape. Jean gave her life protecting her students. She was buried at Resurrection Cemetery in south St. Louis.

Following her passing, this Chalkboard Champion was memorialized in the National Memorial of Fallen Educators established at the National Teachers Hall of Fame in Emporia, Kansas.