Category Archives: Education

Original works by choir teacher Sheena Graham performed at the Obama White House

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Original works by choir teacher Sheena Graham from Bridgeport, Connecticut, performed at the Obama White House.

Our nation is fortunate to have many fine educators for the performing arts. One of them is Sheena Graham, a high school choir teacher from Bridgeport, Connecticut. Her original musical compositions have been featured at the Obama White House!

Sheena teaches at Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport. She inaugurated her career as an educator in 1983. In a career that has spanned more than 36 years, Sheena has taught Black History Chorale, peer leadership, theater, piano, and performing arts. She has also served as an adviser for her school’s poetry club, coached cheerleading, softball, and drill team, and instructed a dance troupe.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Sheena leads workshops in music literacy, creates teaching tools for colleagues, and works as an accompanist for local choirs. She also teaches free piano and drama classes at the Hall Neighborhood House Academy of Music and Fine Arts.

Prior to her work as an educator, she wrote original musicals which earned national recognition. Two of her compositions were presented at the White House: “My Destiny” in 2014 and “It’s Not How You Start” in 2016. Her composition “We Can if We Believe” was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, in 2018. The topics of her musicals include dealing with teen years, coping with tragedy, and not allowing negative life circumstances to define a person’s destiny.

Sheena says her determination to become a choir teacher stemmed from childhood events. She was born with a speech impediment. As a result, she told one interviewer, she did not interact well with others. In fourth grade, an aunt signed her up for music lessons, thinking it might help. “It gave me a whole new world where I could feel safe and comfortable,” Sheena revealed. “I was more social.” As a teacher, Sheena has spent her entire career trying to ensure her students feel that same sense of safety, community, and kindness in her classroom.

For her work as an educator, Sheena has earned many accolades. She was featured in the book, “Notable Valley African Americans.” She received the Beard Excellence in Teaching Award, the Choral Director of Distinction Award, the National Association of Negro Business Professional Women Teacher of the Year Award, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Teacher of the Year Award. She was also named the 1995 Bridgeport Public Schools Teacher of the Year and 2019 Connecticut Teacher of the Year.

Sheena earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Western Connecticut State University. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from St. Joseph’s College.

To learn more about this chalkboard champion, click on this link from the Connecticut Post: CCSSO.

Pennsylvania history teacher Jennifer Wahl: She shares a passion for travel

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High school social studies teacher Jennifer Wahl teaches a love for travel. The talented educator earned recognition as the 2018 Pennsylvania State Teacher of the Year.

I love to write about talented educators who share their passions with their students. One of these is Jennifer Wahl, a high school history teacher from Pennsylvania. In her classroom in a small-town school, she shares her monumental love for international travel.

Jennifer has been teaching at Loyalsock Township High School in Lycoming County since 2006. There she teaches courses in history, psychology, and sociology. She also teaches courses at the Pennsylvania State College. Her career as an educator has spanned the last 13 years.

Jennifer is originally from New York City, but she spent much of her childhood overseas with her mother, who is from the Middle East. The young teacher’s love of travel has only expanded since she has become an educator. Jennifer has been involved in numerous professional development opportunities that have taken her to some pretty amazing places. She was chosen by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia to travel to China for a two-week study tour In 2011. The following year, the Japan Society chose her to travel to Japan to attend a three-week study tour. In 2013, she studied restorative justice and teaching for Peace in Delhi, India, at the International School for Jain Studies.

Jennifer is eager to share her love of travel with her students. She uses pictures, artifacts, and food to bring history alive for her students, some of whom have grown up to share her love of world travel. “I’m happy for those students that they got out of a small-town environment to see the world and then brought it back here,” Jennifer declares. “I love that they broadened their horizons.”

In addition to her work in the classroom, Jennifer belongs to a number of professional organizations. She is a member of The Japan Society, the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia, the International School for Jain Studies, the College Board, the National and State Teacher of the Year Pennsylvania Chapter, and the Pennsylvania State Education Association. She is also an active member of her union and served as the vice president and member of the negotiations committee of her local chapter.

Jennifer earned her Bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education from Cabrini University located in Radnor, Pennsylvania. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Pennsylvania State University. For her work in the classroom, Jennifer was named the 2018 Pennsylvania State Teacher of the Year.

To learn more about this accomplished chalkboard champion, visit this link: CCSSO.

Robert P. Bryan: Teach for America alumnus and North Carolina politician

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Robert P. Bryan, Teach for America alumnus and North Carolina politician.

Many individuals who have made a name for themselves in politics have also distinguished themselves as talented educators. One of these is Robert P. Bryan, a former member of the State House of Representatives from North Carolina. He also served a two-year stint as an elementary teacher for Teach for America.

Rob was born on June 4, 1971, in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. His mother enjoyed a career as a public school teacher and his father was an engineer. His younger sister is Melissa Bryan Kruger, a published author of renown.

As a teenager, Rob attended Sanderson High School, where he graduated in 1989. Following his high school graduation, he enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There he earned his Bachelor’s degree in History (1993). While in college, Rob was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, where he served as an officer. He was also active in student government and served as president of the Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship.

Following his college graduation, Rob accepted a position with the Teach for America program. Through this program, he taught second and third grade at Abbott Elementary School in Lynwood, California. His classroom was bilingual. Rob’s career as an educator lasted only two years, but during that time his students progressed exceptionally well. During the summer between the two years he was teaching, Rob interned at the Center for Education Reform in Washington, DC.

Once he fulfilled his commitment to Teach for America, Rob returned to North Carolina and enrolled at the Duke University School of Law. He graduated with honors from Duke in 1998.

In 2012, Rob was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives on the Republican ticket. He represented Mecklenburg County,District 88, from 2013 to 2017. While in office, the former teacher served as the Chairman of the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. He also served as the Co-Chairman of the Educator Compensation and Effectiveness Task Force. In addition, he chaired a House Judiciary Committee and the House Appropriations Committee, and he served on the Commerce and Job Development Committee.

Currently, Rob serves as a member of the Board of Governors for the University of North Carolina, a post that he has occupied for the past two years. There he serves as the Chairman of the work group for online education. He also serves as the Vice Chairman for Education Planning and Policy.

To lean more about Rob’s work as a North Carolina legislator, consult this link: Ballotpedia.

Teacher Jessica Duenas named Kentucky’s 2019 Teacher of the Year

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Teacher Jessica Duenas named Kentucky’s 2019 Teacher of the Year.

Kentucky’s 2019 Teacher of the Year is sixth grade teacher Jessica Duenas of Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky.

In all, Jessica’s career has spanned ten years. The honored educator, a native of New York, initiated her career in a Brooklyn middle school. After moving to Louisville in 2012, she joined the staff at Shawnee Academy in Jefferson County Public Schools. She later moved to the district’s Highland Middle School. In 2015, she transitioned to Oldham County Middle School. This year, Jessica joined the inaugural staff of WEB DuBois Academy. The school is one of five schools in the nation that supports young boys with an Afro-centric curriculum. The school targets the lowest performing demographic.

In the classroom, Jessica enjoys a reputation for building relationships with struggling students who are often overwhelmed and forgotten. She also serves as an adviser to Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis and is a statewide equity trainer. In addition, she is part of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children. And if all that wasn’t enough, Jessica mentors Latino students at Adelante Hispanic Achievers. Jessica is a published author as well. She has published articles in The Courier-Journal and Education Week TEACHER.

Jessica earned her Bachelor’s degree in History from Hunter College at the City University of New York. She earned her Master’s degree in Teaching Students with Disabilities from the Brooklyn College at the City University of New York. She has also completed courses in instructional leadership from Bellarmine University located in Louisville.

To learn more about this amazing educator, check out this link: CCSSO.

Former teacher Claire Lee Chennault: Commander of the world-famous Flying Tigers

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Former school teacher and principal Claire Lee Chennault became a distinguished military man and commander of the world-famous Flying Tigers during World War II.

Many talented educators have also earned distinction in professions other than education. One of these is Claire Lee Chennault, a former rural school teacher who became a brilliant military man. He is probably best known as the commander of the world-famous Flying Tigers during World War II.

Claire was born on September 6, 1890, in Commerce, Texas. He was raised in the town of Gilbert, near Waterproof. The young boy was just ten years old when Wilbur and Orville Wright made their first powered flight in 1903. This event gave birth to Claire’s lifelong interest in aviation.

As a young man, Claire attended Louisiana State Normal college, now known as Northwestern State College of Louisiana. He also participated in ROTC, the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, an organization that trains individuals to become commissioned officers in the US Armed Forces. After earning his degree, Claire inaugurated his career as a teacher in a one-room school in rural Athens, Louisiana. He also served as the principal of Kilbourne School from 1913 to 1915.

When Wold War I broke out, Claire enlisted in the US Army and was sent to officers training camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Lawrence Township, Indiana. When he completed his training, he accepted a commission as a first lieutenant in the Infantry Reserve. A short while later, Claire became both a pilot and a flight instructor. He continued to teach flight school until 1937, when hearing loss forced him to retire from the military.

After leaving the US Armed Forces, Claire decided to go to China. There he took command of the First American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, known worldwide as the Flying Tigers. Members of the group were pilots from the US Army Air Corps, the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps recruited under President Franklin D. Roosevelt prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The mission of these courageous aviators was to defend China from a Japanese invasion, but after the outbreak of WWII, they flew in combat against Japanese forces.

Claire earned many medals and decorations for his military achievements. Among these are the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal.

This former chalkboard champion succumbed to lung cancer on July 27, 1958. He was 67 years old. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington Cemetery. In December 1972, Claire was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.