Category Archives: Education

Colorado kindergarten teacher Fatima Stansell crowned in 2025 Ms. Black Colorado pageant

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Colorado Springs kindergarten teacher Fatima Stansell has taken the crown in the 2025 Ms. Black Colorado pageant.  Photo credit: Colorado Education Association

We know our public school teachers are hardworking, dedicated, and creative professionals. They are royalty in the classroom! But occasionally one of them also earns a genuine title. This is true of Fatima Stansell, a kindergarten teacher from Colorado Springs, Colorado. She has been crowned the winner of the 2025 Ms. Black Colorado pageant!

Fatima teaches at John Adams Elementary School, a Title 1 school. As a kindergarten teacher there, Fatima understands the extreme importance of early literacy. Many of her students start school without basic reading skills, she says. In addition, she is passionate about creating inclusive, supportive spaces for her students.

Actively promoting literacy in her community, Fatima hosts literacy hours at local libraries, works on book drives, and creates videos to teach parents how to help their children read. “Reading truly is fundamental, and I am committed to making a lasting impact,” she declares.

Fatima became inspired to go into the teaching profession while working with young children in her family’s daycare business. She continued to work with youngsters through local parks and recreation programs. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 2024, graduating magna cum laude. She has credentials in Special Education (SPED) and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLD).

The neophyte teacher decided to enter the beauty pageant because she wanted to be an inspiration to her daughters and to show the importance of women of color in leadership roles. The Ms. Black Colorado Springs competition was her first pageant. For her platform, Fatima chose Bridging the Literacy Gap. She was crowned in June 2024, and then went on to earn the state title in October. The competition included formal wear, interviews, fitness rounds, and a social impact presentation.

Social Studies teacher Sayre Posey named Utah’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

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Junior high school Social Studies teacher Sayre Posey has been named Utah’s 2025 State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Northwest Middle School

Many exceptional educators work with our nation’s young people, and one of them is Sayre Posey, a Social Studies teacher from Utah. She has been named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

In a career that has spanned nine years, Sayre taught first in Baltimore City Public Schools in Maryland. She currently she teaches US history to eighth graders at Northwest Middle School, a Title 1 school in Salt Lake City. There she employs culturally relevant and project-based teaching strategies.

In her classroom, Sayre strives to build strong relationships and high self-esteem, which she believes will help to close the achievement gap. Sayre encourages her students to become researchers and historians in their own right. And the effort has yielded impressive results. As participants in National History Day, her students have garnered awards at both the regional and state level.

“I love designing hands-on learning activities in class and opportunities for students to re-enact or role-play history,” declares Sayre. “For example, we recently investigated a Boston Massacre crime scene before re-enacting the trial of the British soldiers,” she continues. “I think giving students the opportunity to experience history through hands-on learning generates higher student engagement and learning outcomes. It makes it memorable,” she concludes.

Sayre’s selection as the 2025 Utah Teacher of the Year, Sayre was selected the 2016 Maryland Teacher of Promise. She also presented at the annual conference of the 2022 National Council of Teachers of English. Her topic was literacy strategies for social justice teaching.

Sayre earned her Bachelor’s degree in History Education from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from Southern Utah University. She also earned teaching credentials in Social Studies, English as a Second Language, and Education Technology.

To learn more about Sayre, click on this link to a newspaper article about her published by the Salt Lake City Weekly.

Wisconsin educator, newspaperman, and politician Jeremiah O’Neil

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Final resting place of Wisconsin educator, newspaperman, and politician Jeremiah O’Neil. He was interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Photo credit: Find a Grave

There are many outstanding educators who have taught in American public schools. One of them is Jeremiah O’Neil, a teacher, principal, newspaperman, judge, and state assemblyman from Wisconsin.

Jeremiah was born on a farm in Utica, Wisconsin, on Jan. 13, 1866. As a boy, he attended public schools in Mt. Sterling. Once he graduated, he enrolled at the state normal school, now known as the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. There he completed the prescribed course of study in elementary education in June, 1893.

Once he completed his education, Jeremiah accepted positions as a teacher and a principal at grade schools in Kewaskum in Wisconsin’s Fond du Lac County, where he worked from 1893 to 1896. He worked an additional five years as a teacher in Crawford County.

After Jeremiah relocated to Wauzeka, a nearby village in Crawford County, where he served two terms as president of the town council. In 1906, he ran on the Democratic ticket for a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Crawford County. He won the election and served one term as a member of that body.

In addition to his work as an educator and a politician, Jeremiah worked as the editor and publisher for the weekly newspaper known as the Kickapoo Chief from 1899 to 1913, when he was elected the county judge for Crawford County, and gave up his position at the newspaper. Jeremiah served as the county judge for a total of 34 years.

In addition to his work as the county judge, Jeremiah served as trustee of the Equitable Reserve Association for 20 years. He was the county Red Cross Chairman for 16 years and was a long time member of the Kiwanis Club and the county Historical Society. He also served as director of the Peoples State Bank since 1927 and was president of that bank for many years.

Jeremiah passed away on Nov. 19, 1947, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and was interred in Evergreen Cemetery there. He was 81 years of age.

 

Jr high English teacher Erika Garza-Silva garners prestigious humanities award

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Junior high school English teacher Erika Garza-Silva Texas has garnered a 2024 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award. Photo credit: flour Bluff ISD

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an outstanding educator who has earned accolades for her work in the classroom. Today I share the story of Erika Garza-Silva, a Language Arts teacher from Texas. She has been recognized by Texas Humanities with a prestigious 2024 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award.

Erika teaches Language Arts at Flour Bluff Junior High School in Corpus Christi. In addition, she serves as her school’s Language Arts Department Chair and she fills the role of the University Interscholastic League Coordinator.

“I strive each and every day to be the teacher that sees beyond labels, language barriers, or economic status and only sees a student who is full of possibilities,” declares Erika. “It is not only because I know what it feels like to be treated differently, but because I know first-hand what can happen when a teacher believes in you,” she continues.

To achieve her goals, Erika incorporates cross-curricular activities and project-based learning into her learning program. For example, her students explore 1960s culture by analyzing song lyrics, researching fashion, dressing up, and tie-dying old T-shirts. Erika believes these immersive activities enhance her students’ understanding of course material and help them feel more connected to the characters in the readings that have been assigned.

This outstanding educator is obviously well-respected by her colleagues. “Erika Garza-Silva’s consistent devotion to her students, community, and school makes her such a valuable asset to education,” says Brooke Zepeda, Intervention Specialist at Flour Bluff Junior High School. “As head of the English Department, she has led her team to achieve record-high ELA STAAR scores and is a phenomenal role model for the teachers she leads. As a bilingual educator, she also helps tremendously with our English as a Second Language (ESL) program, working with eighth-grade ESL students to ensure they are excelling in their classes,” Brooke continues. “Erika embodies strength, dignity, and compassion in every aspect of her work,” she concludes.

Well done, Erika!

To learn more about Humanities Texas, click on this link to their website.

 

Elementary art teacher Emily Miller of Michigan earns recognition

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Congratulations to art teacher Emily Miller from Allendale, Michigan. She has been honored by the Michigan Art Education Association. Photo credit: Emily Miller

Congratulations to art teacher Emily Miller from Allendale, Michigan. She has been named the 2025 Elementary Art Teacher Educator of the Year by the Michigan Art Education Association (MAEA).

Currently Emily teaches art classes to kindergarteners and first graders in Allendale Pubic Schools. She has worked there for the past five years. Previously to that, she worked for six years at Rockford Public Schools in Rockford, Michigan, located near Grand Rapids. She also served three years as an art teacher at Rising Star Camp, a facility for students with learning disabilities.

In addition to her honors from the MAEA, Emily has garnered a 2025 Art Education Leadership Award from Artsonia organization. According to Artsonia, this recognition is given to a visionary who continually inspires their peers in the art education community through their online school gallery. See more about this at Artsonia.

Her work in the classroom is not the only contribution Emily makes to the local art community. Since 2015, she has served as the President of Grand Valley State University’s College of Education Alumni Network, and from 2016-2023 she served on the university’s Alumni Board of Directors. Additionally, since 2018, Emily has volunteered with the Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts on their Youth Art Committee. And as if all that were not enough, she also serves as the Chair of the Youth Art and Communications Committee, she is a member of the Operations Committee, and she is on the Board of the Directors for Festival.

Emily earned her Bachelor’s degree in Art Education in 2014 and her teaching credential in 2015, both from Grand Valley State University. She earned her Master’s degree in Instruction and Curriculum from the same university in 2020.

To learn more about Emily, click on this link to an interview conducted with her by Grand Valley State University in 2022. Also, below is a short video clip from a local news organization about Emily’s award.