Category Archives: Education

Middle school educator Kerrie Gill named DoDEA’s 2024 Teacher of the Year

Posted on by

Middle school English teacher Kerrie Gill has been named the 2024 Teacher of the Year for the US Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). Photo Credit: DoDEA

Many outstanding educators have earned recognition for their work with young people in the classroom. One of these is Kerrie Gill, an American middle school teacher who works on a military base in Belgium. She has been named the 2024 Teacher of the Year by the US Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).

In a career that spans 13 years, Kerrie currently teaches at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) American Middle School in Mons, Belgium. There she serves the students of US military personnel and NATO partners. She teaches courses in English Language Arts, Creative Writing, and Advancement for Individual Determination (AVID).

As a product of DoDEA schools herself, Kerrie says. her passion for teaching military-connected students originates from her experience as a self-described “army brat.” In her classroom, Kerrie says she believes in fostering authentic relationships, creating student-led collaborative learning environments, and empowering students to take an active role in their own learning. 
 
In addition to her work in the classroom, Kerrie serves her school community as a member of the Instructional Leadership Team and the Campus Executive Leadership Team. She also supports students and colleagues as the Sixth Grade Team Lead, Continuous School Improvement Chair, and Site Literacy Lead. 
 
Kerrie’s selection as the DoDEA’s 2024 Teacher of the Year is not the only recognition this Chalkboard Champion has earned. While working in Kentucky, she garnered the Elizabethtown Independent Schools Excellence in Teaching & Educational Leadership (ExCEL) Award, and she was named a City of Elizabethtown Outstanding Citizen. Most recently, she was named the 2024 Americas Southeast Teacher of the Year by the DoDEA.

Kerrie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Learning and Behavioral Disorders with an emphasis in middle grades English from Eastern Kentucky University. She has also completed two Master’s programs in Education with a focus as a teacher leader and a literacy specialist, both from the University of the Cumberlands. 

NJ educator Donald Payne served in the US House of Reps

Posted on by
Donald Payne

New Jersey educator Donald Payne also represented his state in the US House of Representatives. Photo Credit: US Government

In American history, there are many examples of successful educators who later became noteworthy politicians. One of these is Donald Payne, a former teacher who was elected as the first African American to represent New Jersey in the US House of Representatives.

Donald Milford Payne, Sr., was born in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, on July 16, 1934. Following his graduation from Newark’s Barringer High School in 1952, Donald enrolled on a scholarship in Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. There he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies in 1957. Later he pursued post-graduate studies at Springfield College in Massachusetts.

After his college graduation, Donald taught English and Social Studies in Newark Public Schools. He also coached football. While still a teacher, Donald became the first African American president of the National Council of YMCA. From 1973 t 1981, he served as the chairman of the World YMCA Refugee and Rehabilitation Committee.

After leaving the classroom, Donald worked for a time as an executive for the Prudential Insurance Company. He also served three terms as a Municipal City Councilman, but he had always wanted to become a Congressman. In 1988 he finally achieved that goal when he was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent New Jersey’s Tenth District. “I want to be a congressman to serve as a model for the young people I talk to on the Newark street corners,” Donald said during his campaign. “I want them to see there are no barriers to achievement. I want to give them a reason to try.”

While in Congress, the former teacher served on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, including the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. In addition, he was a part of the Committee on Government Operations and on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, including the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. From 1995 to 1997, he was the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. He was elected to Congress a total of eleven times, and some of his wins were by the widest margins in New Jersey history.

In his later years, Donald suffered from diabetes and he experienced several small strokes, but it was colon cancer that finally claimed his life on March 6, 2012. He was 77 years old. Donald Payne: a true Chalkboard Champion.

Trent Van Leuven named Idaho’s 2024 State Teacher of the Year

Posted on by

Trent Van Leuven, a Career and Technical Education teacher from Idaho, has been named his state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: Idaho Dept. of Education

It is always a pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of these is Trent Van Leuven, a secondary level Career and Technical Education teacher from Idaho. He has been named his state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Trent teaches agriculture education to students in grades eight through twelve at Mackay Junior/Senior High School in Mackay, Idaho. In his classroom, he places focus on providing experiential learning opportunities in the nine courses he instructs. “Students work on community projects, and every student serves on a committee,” explains Trent. “One such project is the annual Christmas bazaar that boasts 54 vendors. Students painted the fire hydrants in town last year, and this year they have made markers to help emergency services find hydrants in the deep snow,” he continues. Trent constructs curriculum that utilizes a fish lab, three greenhouses, and a welding lab. He also invites speakers and experts to contribute to content instruction.

In addition to classroom instruction, Trent organizes annual trips and agriculture tours with students. To date, he has traveled more than 40,000 miles through 35 states with students. And, as a special bonus, he arranges for the students enrolled in his courses to earn college credits through a dual credit program.

As if all this were not enough, Trent serves as the advisor of his school’s chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA), eighth grade class adviser, and the local union president on his campus. He frequently steps up to drive a bus route or trip when resources are stretched thin. 
 
Trent earned his Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education from the University of Idaho in 2009. In a career that spans 14 years, he has spent the last nine at Mackay.

To read an article about Trent and the importance of Career and Technical Education published by the Idaho State Department of Education, click on this link.

 

NYC STEM educator Jessica Boyle garners a 2024 Sloan Award

Posted on by

For her outstanding work in the classroom, New York City STEM teacher Jessica Boyle has garnered a 2024 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics. Photo Credit: City of New York

When New York City science teacher Jessica Boyle leads her students in their hands-on study of human cardiovascular systems, diseases, and other scientific investigations, she is creating an exciting world of critical thinking, rigor, and experimentation that prepares her students for college and career readiness. For this outstanding work, Jessica has garnered a 2024 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics.

Jessica’s passion for science can be traced all the way back to her own days as a student, when she attended a lecture by world-renowned anthropologist and primatologist Jane Goodall. That lecture triggered Jessica’s interest in physical anthropology. As a result, she completed courses in osteology, human genetics, and archeology, and even participated in a dig site in Illinois during her summers. Eventually, this passion led Jessica to complete her Master’s degree in Anthropology at New York University, an internship with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for New York City, and an internship as an anthropological consultant at New York University’s College of Dentistry.

When Jessica accepted a position as a science education teacher in 2006, she was assigned to instruct courses in biology, earth science, forensic anthropology, and anatomy and physiology. As an after school program, she introduced curriculum in human biology and disease. In 2013, Jessica was hired by the Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy, where she served as a member of the Instructional Leadership Team, the Chair of the Science Department, and a Model Teacher. She also served as a mentor with the Mentoring in Medicine program where she helped under-represented students enter the medical field.

For her outstanding work as a STEM (Science, Technology, engineering, and Mathematics) educator, Jessie is one of seven educators who have garnered a 2024 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics. The award spotlights teachers who go above and beyond to help their students succeed, inspiring young people to excel in science and mathematics and to pursue careers in related fields. Each recipient receives a crystal trophy and a cash prize of $5,000. An additional $2,000 goes to the school’s Science or Mathematics Department. To learn more, click on this link to the Sloan Awards.