Category Archives: Education

Science teacher Cheryl Turpin served in VA State House of Delegates

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Science teacher Cheryl Turpin, third from left, works with students at Cox High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She was elected to serve in her state’s House of Delegates. Photo Credit: Christine Organ

Many excellent educators have also served as capable politicians. One of these was Cheryl Turpin, a high school science teacher who has represented her community in the Virginia State House of Delegates.

Cheryl was born in 1963 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Her father, who served 23 years in the military, eventually settled the family in Fairfax County, Virginia.

As a young woman, Cheryl earned her Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Virginia.

After earning her degrees, Cheryl taught science at the high school level in public schools in Virginia Beach. Currently she teaches Advanced Placement environmental Science at Frank W. Cox High School. She is also a participant in AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a program that seeks to close the achievement gap by preparing minority students for college. For her exemplary work with students, Cheryl was nominated for Teacher of the Year by her fellow teachers at Cox High in 2016.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Cheryl has served as a Board Member for the Make a Difference Foundation, as Activities Coordinator for several school PTA’s, a Girl Scouts Troop Leader, a coach for the Neighborhood Soccer League, and a member of the Sierra Club.

In November of 2017, Cheryl was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent the 85th District, which includes Virginia Beach. She remained in office from Jan., 2018 to Jan., 2020. As a legislator, Cheryl sat on the Education Committee. She was an advocate for reducing mandated testing so that more time could be added back into classroom instruction. She also supported full-day public kindergarten for every child in Virginia, putting more resources into STEM education, and classroom technology for teachers. She was also committed to expanding economic opportunity for Virginians by increasing infrastructure spending, raising the minimum wage, creating an economic environment that encouraged small businesses, and expanding broadband access.

NJ teacher Brenna Baker named 2023 Atlantic County Teacher of the Year

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New Jersey biology teacher Brenna Baker has been named the 2023 Atlantic County Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: New Jersey State Department of Education

I am always excited when I discover another educator who has been honored for their outstanding work in the classroom. One of these is Brenna Baker, a high school science teacher from New Jersey who has been named the 2023 Atlantic County Teacher of the Year.

Brenna earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and Education from Richard Stockton University located in Galloway Township, New Jersey. She earned both her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and her supervisor certification from The College of New Jersey located in Ewing Township, New Jersey. Currently, the honored educator is working on her doctoral thesis at the University of New England, a private university located in Biddeford, Maine.

Brenna teaches biology courses at Absegami High School in Greater Egg Harbor. In addition, she has coached academic and extracurricular sports teams, advised clubs, directed backstage, and participated on countless educational committees. As if all that were not enough, she has also led professional learning communities on assessment and Next Generation Science Standards, written over $40,000 in grants, and is a founding member of her school’s Green Team. Brenna has worked in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District for the past 19 years. Furthermore, she has taught courses as an adjunct professor at her alma mater, Stockton University, for the past eight years.

In addition to her recognition as 2023 Atlantic County Teacher of the Year, Brenna has  garnered a Clean Teen Glitter Award, she is a Recipient of the March Teacher of the Month Award WXPN in 2009, and she garnered the Atlantic County Utilities Authority Clean Communities Litter Award in 2019. That same year she also won a $2,000 Sustainable Jersey Grant to expand her school’s urban farming program.

Teacher of the deaf Caitlin Buckley honored by Kentucky Dept of Education

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Caitlin Buckley, a teacher at the Kentucky School for the Deaf in Danville, Kentucky, has been honored with a 2023 Teacher Achievement Award, and she is one of 24 finalists for her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year award. Photo Credit: Kentucky Department of Education

There are many talented educators working with our nation’s special education students. One of these is Caitlin Buckley, who teaches at the Kentucky School for the Deaf in Danville. She has recently been honored by the Kentucky State Department of Education as a 2023 Teacher Achievement Award winner. She is also one 24 finalists for her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year award.

Caitlin attended Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), where she earned a dual certification in middle grade English and Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Education. She later earned her Master’s degree in Literacy, also from EKU. She learned ASL in 2015, but picked up more when she did her practicum and student teaching.

The honored educator says she never expected to go into deaf education. Instead, she says, the decision was a happy accident. Caitlin attended Eastern Kentucky University, which is the only college in Kentucky with a DHH teacher program. After changing her major five times, she settled on a career in deaf education because she wanted to make a difference in the lives of others.

Caitlin’s career as an educator has spanned four years. She teaches courses in literature and composition with English/Language Arts (ELA) and reading development to students in grades 6-8. In her classroom, she conducts instruction using American Sign Language (ASL). In addition to teaching her courses, Caitlin serves her school as a class sponsor, helps develop and deliver professional development, and works alongside colleagues to combat language deprivation.

To learn more about Caitlin Buckley, click on this link to a story about her published by the Advocate-Messenger.

NC teacher Raquel Aguilar honored by WAVY-TV 10

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Elementary school teacher Raquel Aguilar of North Carolina has been honored was an Excellent Educator by Dare County Schools and WAVY-TV 10. Photo credit: Wavy TV 10

Our nation’s bilingual students are fortunate to have many talented bilingual educators devoted to their educational success. One of them is Raquel Aguilar, an elementary school teacher in North Carolina. In May, 2022, she was selected as an Excellent Educator by Dare County Schools and WAVY-TV 10.

Raquel teaches third grade at Kitty Hawk Elementary School in the Dare County School District located in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. She teaches in the Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program. In addition to English and Spanish, she is also proficient in French.

Through her work, Raquel is not just teaching her students another language, she’s also making sure that they understand why being bilingual is so important. “Being bilingual has opened so many doors for me and that’s what I hope for my kids too,” she says. But the honored educator says the bilingual program is much more than just teaching students another language. “It’s about recognizing differences and that differences are okay. It doesn’t matter what language you speak. It doesn’t matter how you look,” she asserts.

In addition to her work with her third graders, Raquel leads a curriculum initiative in her District, working with fellow teachers to develop resources for the Spanish Immersion Program. She also mentors beginning teachers.

Raquel is a native of Costa Rica. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Universidad de Costa Rica in 2014. She earned her Master’s degree in Primary Education from the Universidad Methodist de Costa Rica in 2017.

The Excellent Educators program is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the last academic year. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions.

To learn more about Raquel Aguilar, click on this link to an article about her published on WAVY.com.

Tara Cocanower named Indiana’s 2023 Teacher of the Year

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Congrats to high school social studies teacher Tara Cocanower of Bluffton, Indiana, who has been named her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Chalkbeat Indiana

Congratulations to Tara Cocanower, a social studies teacher from Bluffton, Indiana. She has been named her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.

Currently, Tara teaches World History and Advance Placement World History at Bluffton High School. In addition, she serves as the History Department team leader. She also is a leader in her school by working to mentor first-year educators and hosting cadet teachers. This school year, the innovative educator is partnering with a fellow Bluffton High School teacher to offer a new course in principles of teaching which introduces high school students to the education profession. In addition to her teaching role at Bluffton High School, Cocanower serves as the History Club advisor, the Head Coach for the girls golf team, and coaches the girls track and field team. She also organizes junior golf league and youth track meets to make sports accessible to all children in her community.
As a teenager, Tara graduated from Norwell High School in her home town of Bluffton. She then enrolled at the University of Southern Indiana, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education, with honors, in 2007. While earning her undergraduate degree, she was a member of the women’s golf team, garnering All-Conference and academic All-American awards.

After college, Tara joined the Peace Corps. She spent two years, from 2008-2010, as an education volunteer in Romania. There she worked with Roma youth, teaching English as a foreign language, working on local farms, and enhancing community development.

Upon returning to the United States, Tara accepted a position at Imagine Master Academy, where she taught from 2010 to 2012. There she was involved in curriculum development, participated in the character education task force, and coached basketball.

Tara’s next move was to Southwood Junior/Senior High School in Wabash County, Indiana, where she taught courses in Social Studies, World History, and Advanced Placement World History to seventh graders. She also coached both the girls and the boys golf teams. Her stint there spanned from 2012 to 2014.

To learn more about Tara, see this article published by Chalkbeat Indiana.