Category Archives: Education

Idaho’s Kelly Carey honored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars

Posted on by

Elementary school teacher Kelly Garey of Idaho has been honored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars with a 2023 Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher Award. Photo credit: Idaho Press

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional teacher. Today, I shine a light on Kelly Garey, an elementary school teacher from Caldwell, Idaho. She has been honored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) with a 2023 Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher Award.

Kelly teaches second grade at Van Buren Elementary School in Caldwell. In her classroom, she has created a community called Tribes, developing curriculum which emphasizes the use of inclusion activities. Her class concludes each day with a sharing community circle for students to reflect on their day. She also spearheads drug prevention programs and expands her students’ knowledge about patriotic and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) topics. She also helps teach her students about the importance of the Pledge of Allegiance and good citizenship. She has been a teacher for 33 years.

Kelly was nominated for the National Citizenship Education Teacher Award by members of VFW Post 3886 in Caldwell. She earned her honor for her dedication to fostering patriotism, her passion for serving her country and local community, and for her efforts to organize field trips, activities, and services to help her students learn about and recognize the military service of America’s veterans.

This Chalkboard Champion is a retired Navy veteran, with a career in the Navy Reserves that spanned more than 30 years. As a Chief Petty Officer, Kelly worked for the Navy Operations Support Center in Boise. She was also an active member on the Navy Funeral Honor Guard. With this extensive experience, she leads her students and members of her community to understand why veterans choose to serve, the rich history of our nation’s flag, and the genuine spirit of freedom.  She retired from the military in June, 2022.

 

Teacher Mary Burrell worked tirelessly for women’s rights, prison reform, and civil rights

Posted on by

Public school teacher Mary Burrell also worked as a suffragist and social reformer in the early 19th century. Photo credit: Newark Women

I have always believed that teachers are among the most active social reformers in our nation’s history. As an example, I offer Mary Burrell, a public school teacher who worked tirelessly as a suffragist, political organizer, and reformer.

Mary Burrell was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1866. to Lucy Cary. When she was a youngster, Mary attended public schools in Richmond up to the eighth grade. She graduated in 1883 from the Richmond Colored Normal School.

After her graduation, Mary worked as a public school teacher for two years, until her marriage in 1885 to William Patrick Burrell. To this union were born two sons, William Jr. and John Mercer. In 1913, the family moved to Essex County, New Jersey.

Mary had a reputation for being an outstanding pubic speaker. She worked diligently for such causes as women’s suffrage, holding meetings in her home, organizing political rallys, and canvassing door-to-door to earn votes for the cause. She also prison reform, fighting against race and sex discrimination. In addition, she founded the Richmond Hospital, organized Rosebud youth groups, and served as Chair of the Women’s Auxiliary and Secretary of the Virginia State Federation of Colored Women.

The former teacher worked with Assemblyman Dr. Walter Alexander to draft several pieces of legislation, including prison reform and civil rights bills that passed both the State Assembly and State Senate over the Democratic governor’s veto. In fact, because of her effectiveness as a lobbyist, the state legislature granted her floor privileges for an entire term.

In addition to this work, Mary Burrell held positions in national and state level inter-racial and civic and political organizations, including the National League of Republican Colored Women, the State Colored Republican Conference, the inter-racial National Republican Conference, the inter-racial Newark NAACP, the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, and the (NJ) State Migrant Commission. She remained an honored reformer and political organizer in the state of New Jersey until her passing in 1949.

 

Educator Melissa Shelley garners a 2023 Humanities Texas Outstanding Teacher Award

Posted on by

Language Arts and theater arts educator Melissa Shelley garners a 2023 Humanities Texas Outstanding Teacher Award. Photo credit: Gruver High School

Our nation’s students are fortunate to have dedicated teachers working diligently to improve their progress in school. One of these is Melissa Shelley, a Language Arts teacher and performing arts instructor from Texas. She has garnered a 2023 Humanities Texas Outstanding Teacher Award.

Melissa teaches English and Theater at Gruver High School in the small town of Gruver. Since she has taken over the theater program there, she has singlehandedly re-established the theater program and conducted fundraisers for her productions. One way she has done this is by creating “Night of the Arts,” an evening that brings the school and local community together and awakens a passion for the arts in her small, rural town.

Melissa has a global goal in mind when she organizes her courses and her theatrical productions. “My mindset when I teach my subjects is to help students understand themselves, their world, and their place in that world,” explains Melissa. “That is my goal every day I step into my role as an educator, and I am honored to have the opportunity to do it,” she continues.

Melissa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sports and Exercise in 2009 and her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 2012, both from Texas Tech University.

Humanities Texas presents annual statewide awards to encourage excellence in teaching and recognize classroom teachers who have made exemplary contributions in teaching, curriculum development, and extracurricular programming. This year, over 600 teachers from all over the state were nominated for this prestigious award, and only 15 were selected as winners. Each winning teacher will receive $5,000 for personal use and an additional $1,000 will go to their school to buy instructional materials related to the humanities.

 

CA elem teacher Ofelia Valdez-Yeager served her local community

Posted on by

Former California elementary teacher Ofelia Valdez-Yeager also served in many capacities in her community in many capacities. Photo credit: Hispanic Lifestyle

Many excellent classroom teachers go on to influential positions within their community. This is true of Ofelia Valdez-Yeager, a former elementary teacher from Riverside, California.

Ofelia was born in Tayoltita, Durango, Mexico, in 1947. The following year, she moved to Tijuana with her family, and ten years after that, they relocated to Montebello, California.  When she enrolled in American schools, she couldn’t speak English, but education was an emphasis in her home, so by the end of the year she finished at the top of her class. Once she graduated from high school, Ofelia began her college yeas at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), in 1965. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Spanish in 1969, and her elementary teaching certificate in 1971.

Ofelia inaugurated her career as an educator in the Cucamonga School District as a bilingual-bicultural Follow Through teacher, focusing on grades K-3. In those early years, she also worked as an Upward Bound residential tutor and counselor, a high school counseling assistant, and a bilingual resource teacher. Having married Ley Yeager in 1969, she also raised a family during those years.

In 1992, Ofelia was elected as the first Latina board member for the Riverside Unified School District. While in this role, she increased the school district’s outreach to Spanish-speaking families, thereby improving access, equity, and inclusion for Latino students. In her later years, this Chalkboard Champion also helped to raise $3 million to establish The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Riverside, which opened in June, 2022.

For her work in the community, Ofelia has earned many accolades. In 2016, she garnered both the UCR Distinguished Alumna of the Year and the UCR Alumna Service Award. In 2019, she garnered the Mission Inn Foundation’s Frank Miller Civic Achievement Award, and in 2022, she was named the Athena Award recipient.

Sadly, Ofelia passed away on Jan. 7, 2024, days before her 77th birthday.

PE teacher Sheila Peterson named 2024 North Dakota Teacher of the Year

Posted on by

Middle school physical education teacher and athletics coach Sheila Peterson has been named North Dakota’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Bismarck Public Schools

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Sheila Peterson, a physical education teacher from North Dakota. She has been named her state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Sheila teaches physical education, English, and reading strategies at Wachter Middle School in Bismarck, North Dakota. She also serves as an athletics coach for the school’s basketball, volleyball, and track teams. She has worked at Wachter since 2010.

The honored educator has also served as a professional development trainer for teachers across the state. And she has been a part of the North Dakota Society of Health and Physical Educators Board for the past two years. Her career as an educator spans 22 years.

Sheila urges her fellow educators to have high expectations for all of their students. “Give them opportunity, even when you know they might let you down sometimes,” she counseled. “Think about how you can impact their lives and empower them to believe in the beauty of their dreams,” she continued. “Make sure every student has a person who believes in them without doubt, and cares enough top hold them to high expectations,” she concluded.

Her honor as the North Dakota Teacher of the Year is not the only recognition Sheila has earned. She was named Wachter Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2013, and the North Dakota Middle School Physical Educator of the Year in both 2017 and 2018.

Sheila earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education at the Dakota State University, Madison, in 2000. She earned her Master’s degree in Technology Education and Training from the University of South Dakota in 2006.