Category Archives: Education

English teacher and successful novelist Sara Hawks Sterling

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English teacher and successful novelist Sara Hawks Sterling of Pennsylvania wrote popular works about well-known figures of European history and legend. Photo credit: Public Domain.

Many a talented classroom educator has also achieved acclaim as an author. One of these is Sara Hawks Sterling, a high school English teacher from Pennsylvania who became a successful novelist. Her published works include popular fiction tales about well-known figures of European history and legend.

Sara was born in Philadelphia. As a young woman, she attended schools in her home town, including the Girls’ High and Normal School and the M. M. Jones’ School. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 1918.

Once she earned her degree, Sara inaugurated her career as a teacher of English at the Philadelphia High School for Girls, where she worked from 1906 to 1912. She left that position to teach at the West Philadelphia High School for Girls. During her years as a professional educator, she became a member of the Women Teachers’ Organization.

While teaching, Sara published many novels about historical and legendary figures, including King Arthur, Robin Hood, and Anne Hathaway. Her novel entitled Shakespeare’s Sweetheart, published in 1905, was an early effort to portray William Shakespeare’s life and romances from the woman’s perspective. In 1900, Sara published Hamlet’s Brides: A Shakespearean Burlesque in One Act. In 1907, she wrote A lady of King Arthur’s Court: Being a Romance of the Holy Grail. In 1921, she published Robin Hood and His Merry Men.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities and her writing, Sara was a member of the Browning Society of Philadelphia, the Dickens Fellowship, the Shakespeare Company, and the Women’s Press Association.

You can read the most popular novels by Sara Hawks Sterling online for free at the following link to the Online Books Page.

 

William H. J. Beckett: PE teacher, coach, and humanitarian

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William H. J. Beckett (shown at right), exemplary PE teacher, coach, and humanitarian, was awarded a Tarbell Medallion from Springfield  College in 1947. Photo courtesy of Springfield College, Archives and Special Collections.

I always enjoy sharing stories about exemplary physical education teachers and talented athletic coaches. One of these is William H. J. Beckett, a football coach and humanitarian from St. Louis, Missouri who earned a Tarbell Medallion from Springfield College.

William Henry Jackson Beckett was born in 1882. As a young man, he attended college in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the International YMCA Training School, now known as Springfield College. When he graduated in 1906, he was the first African American person to be awarded a Bachelor’s degree from Springfield College. William earned his Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

In 1917, William accepted a position as the Head Football Coach at Howard University, a historically Black college located in Washington, DC. Later, William became the first full-time Athletic Director at the school.  During World War I, the hardworking and accomplished physical education instructor served as a lieutenant and physical education director for the Officers’ Training Camp for Colored Men in Des Moines, Iowa.

In 1919, William accepted a position to teach physical education at Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri. His career there spanned 35 years, until his retirement in 1954. During these years, he also worked as a physical education director at YMCAs in St. Louis. There he was affectionately known as “Pops.”

In 1947, William earned the school’s Tarbell Medallion in 1947. The award is presented to Springfield College alumni who have demonstrated outstanding service over a period of time to his or her alma mater. Since 2014, Springfield College has offered a William Beckett Teacher Preparation Scholarship, which offers one full-tuition and fees scholarship per year to a graduating student of color from Springfield Public Schools who is preparing to become a teacher of Pre-K through grade 12.

Sadly, William succumbed to a cerebral hemorrhage on March 15, 1954. He was 71 years old. To read more, see his obituary published by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Teacher and former First Lady of New Jersey Mary Jo Codey

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Elementary school teacher and indefatigable women’s health activist Mary Jo Codey is the former First Lady of New Jersey.  Photo credit: Public Domain.

Many times gifted and active educators find themselves immersed in the world of politics. This is certainly the case with Mary Jo Codey, an elementary schoolteacher who once served as the First Lady of New Jersey. Mary Jo served her state during the administration of her husband, Governor Richard Codey, a Democrat who was in office from 2004 to 2006. Governor Codey took office upon the resignation of former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey.

Mary Jo was born on August 14, 1955, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, and was raised in West Orange. After her high school graduation, she enrolled in Caldwell College, where she earned first her Bachelor’s degree and then her Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She has also earned certification as a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDTC) from Seton Hall University.

Once her husband took office, Mary Jo taught part time. Simultaneously she served as the ambassador for the Governor’s Book Club, which encouraged reading and literacy skills among elementary school children. This position gave her an opportunity to visit schools all over the state and read aloud to children. She also worked tirelessly to promote awareness for women’s mental health issues, particularly postpartum depression and breast cancer.

After her husband left office, Mary Jo accepted a teaching position at a private elementary school in West Orange, New Jersey.

Throughout her career, Mary Jo has contributed to a wide variety of causes. When her sons were young, she was active in Cub Scouts as a den mother and in her children’s school parent teacher associations. She is also a former member of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of Essex County, which honored her for her mental health advocacy efforts in 1995. Mary Jo also served as the first facilitator for a postpartum depression support group that was established at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in 1994 and continues to operate today. Currently, she is an active member of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA).

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this biography of her at the official website for the state of New Jersey.

Nebraska teacher Stephanie J. Keller succumbs to Covid-19

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Sadly, we report that Special Education teacher Stephanie J. Keller of Papillion, Nebraska, has succumbed to Covid-19. Photo credit: Tribute Archives.

We are sad to report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Stephanie J. Keller of Papillion, Nebraska, succumbed to the disease on April 5, 2021.

Stephanie was born on September 7, 1981, in Sioux City, Iowa. She attended East High School, where she participated in band and choir. These activities gave her the opportunity to indulge in her love for travel. Following her high school graduation in 2000, she attended Morningside College in her home town of Soiux City. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education. While at Morningside, Stephanie was crowned Homecoming Queen in 2003. In college, she spent her summers working at Camp Foster in Okobjoki, Iowa. Later she earned her Master’s degree from Wayne State College located in Wayne, Nebraska.

Once she completed the requirements for her Bachelor’s degree, Stephanie accepted her first teaching position at South Sioux City Schools, where she remained for eight years. In 2011, Stephanie married Kevin Keller. The couple moved to Papillion, Nebraska, where the experienced educator accepted a position as a Special Education teacher at G. Stanley Hall Elementary School. Stephanie and her husband also became foster parents to six children.

Unfortunately, the beloved educator contracted Covid-19, and succumbed to the disease on April 5, 2021. She was just 39 years old. Read her obituary at this link to Tribute Archive.

Nicole Butler-Hooton: Oregon’s 2021 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary school teacher Nicole Butler-Hooton from Bethel, Oregon, has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: The Oregonian.

I truly enjoy sharing stories about educators who have earned accolades for their exemplary work in the classroom. One of these is Nicole Butler-Hooton, an elementary school teacher from Bethel, Oregon, who has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.

Nicole is a member of the Siletz and Apache Native American tribes. She was raised in a small coastal town in her home state. Upon graduation from high school, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a minor in Ethnic Studies from the University of Oregon. While there, she was awarded the Sapsik’ʷałá grant, designed to assist Native American students to achieve their goal of earning a Master’s Degree in Education.

Once she completed the requirements for her Master’s degree, Nicole accepted a position as a second grade teacher at Irving Elementary in Bethel. Her career there has spanned 14 years. Nicole has a reputation for creating a vibrant, inclusive, and culturally-responsive teaching style. Nicole has an almost instinctive appreciation of diversity and inclusion in the classroom. “I think in order to teach a child, you have to know the child, and I think that that comes with being consistent and loving and kind,” asserts Nicole. “I think understanding that each child has a unique circumstance, remembering that all students deserve respect and attention is key, and it’s up to us teachers to go the extra mile to be able to give that,” she continues.

For her work in the classroom, Nicole has been selected Oregon’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. She is the first Native American to be so honored. She has also been named a Eugene/Springfield representative for the Oregon Indian Educator Association. She mentors and coaches student teachers and colleagues.

To read more about this remarkable educator, see her story published by The Oregonian.