Category Archives: Education

OK teacher Traci Manuel recognized as her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year

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English teacher Traci Manuel of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been recognized as her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.  Photo Credit: TulsaKids

I am always excited to share the story of an outstanding educator who has been recognized for their work with young people. One of these is Traci Manuel, an English teacher from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been named her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.

Traci teaches courses in Advanced English to sophomores at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa. She has also taught at Tulsa’s Central High School and Carver Middle School. In addition to the English courses she has taught, Traci has logged experience as the Directory of the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determinism) program, an extensive college preparatory program. She also created a summer reading program and learning project and organized a Women of Power class. At the District level, Traci designed a district-level leadership course and curriculum.

Traci takes her role as an influencer of young people very seriously. “An impactful teacher cannot just be strong in their content mastery, but must be skilled in multiple areas,” Traci asserts. “These areas [include] effectiveness in communication, conflict resolution, relationship building, loving and accepting all children, being a team player, detailed planning, organizational skills, [knowing how to be an] emotional stabilizer, and classroom management,” she continues.

Even though she came from a family of educators, Traci’s path to the classroom was not a traditional one. After eating her degree, she accepted a position as a substitute teacher for just one month. Then she went back to school to earn her graduate degree. That done, Traci substituted for another year, then became a teacher’s assistant, and then worked as a parent facilitator before finally accepting a position as a full-time classroom teacher.

In her role as Oklahoma’s 2024 State Teacher of the Year, Traci says her major area of focus will be on narrowing the achievement gap.

Traci earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Philander Smith University. She completed graduate work at the University of Michigan. Her career as an educator has spanned 12 years.

To read an interview with Traci Manuel, click on this link to TulsaKids.

NYC STEM teacher Karen Heil earns 2024 Big Apple Award

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For exemplary work in the classroom, middle school STEM teacher Karen Heil has earned a 2024 Big Apple Award from the New York City Department of Education. Photo Credit: City Island Oyster Reef

The New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) does a commendable job of recognizing their most outstanding public school teachers. This year, they have honored nearly 50 classroom educators who work in New York City. One of these is Karen Heil, a middle school science teacher who has been named a recipient of their 2024 Big Apple Award.

Karen’s career as an educator spans 25 years. She currently teaches at P.S. 175 City Island. There she serves as an advisor with City Island Oyster Reef in their Billion Oyster Project. The program is dedicated to restoring oysters to the local waters, not for consumption but for the significant role that oysters play in improving the marine environment. Each adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons a day, which in turn promotes a healthy, resilient marine ecosystem. With Karen’s leadership and the work conducted in her outdoor classroom, her students have helped to nurture a living shoreline.
The indefatigable teacher believes that every public school should create opportunities for its students to connect with the city’s natural environments. “It is important that all of New York City embrace taking more field trips to get out [near the water], even if you can’t do it like we are [at City Island], to at least give kids perspective that it is such an important part of our history,” asserts Karen.
In another project, Karen asked her students to create illustrated comics featuring a particular mineral as a hero. The students then gave each hero  a superpower based on the rock’s unique properties. Then the middle schoolers dressed up as their chosen mineral and created trading cards featuring the rock and its properties. “The kids loved autographing their trading cards and sharing them with each other,” says Karen. In this way, she believes, she was making learning joyful for her students, and instilling confidence in them as independent learners.

Karen earned a Bachelor’s degree Chemistry and another Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science in 1987, both from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She earned her Master’s degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from Mercy University in 2001.

New Mexico’s Gerard Pineda is a successful Head Baseball Coach

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La Cueva High School Head Baseball Coach Gerard Pineda (center) with student (right) has led his athletes to no less than seven New Mexico state championships since 2010. Photo Credit: New Mexico Activities Association

There are many outstanding athletic coaches who work with America’s young people, and they are chalking up wonderful achievements! One of these is Gerard Pinedo, a successful baseball coach at La Cueva High School located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Gerard took over as Head Coach at La Cueva during the 2009-2010 season. Since then, he has led his teams to no less than win seven state championships. Gerard’s teams have won 17 games or more in all 13 seasons since Gerard took over. In fact, La Cueva High is ranked among the nation’s top 50 teams by Baseball America, which evaluates teams based on performance, strength of schedule, and player talent. To learn more about the rankings, click on this link to Southern Pigskin.

For his outstanding coaching abilities Gerard was honored by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association on July 25, 2024. The humble coach credits his students for his successes, though. “We’re fortunate to have talented kids,” declares Gerard. “We tried to make sure that they knew how talented they were, and what they were capable of,” he continued. “They’ve been a joy to coach,” he concluded.

PA teacher Sarah Damato earns Outstanding Spec Ed award

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Pennsylvania teacher Sarah Damato has been named a recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award from NASET. Photo Credit: Springfield Area Educational Foundation

Many exemplary educators have earned special recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Sarah Damato, a Special Education teacher from Springfield, Pennsylvania. She has been named a recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award from the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET). The annual award is given to Special Education and inclusion classroom teachers that have been nominated by administrators, colleagues, or parents of students.

Sarah teaches Life Skills courses at Springfield High School. She has taught there since 2019. She also serves as the advisor for the campus Buddies Club, bringing general education students and students with special needs together to participate in activities outside of school. Over 200 students belong to this club. Furthermore, Sarah founded a non-profit called Support a Sport, which gives children with disabilities the opportunity to participate in sports. At least half of her students have participated in this program. And as if all that were not enough, she is also the Head Coach for the Unified Bocce Club. This year, 36 athletes participated on the team.

In addition to her honors from NASET, Sarah has been named Best Teacher Under the Sun from the local Sun East Federal Credit Union. The award acknowledges outstanding achievements by teachers for their efforts to inspire students to reach beyond their grasp.

Sarah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education in 2011, an Autism Certificate in 2013, and a Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in research in 2013, all from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She earned a second Master’s degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from Relay Graduate University in 2018. In 2022, she earned a PhD in Educational Leadership and Administration from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Washington teacher Renae Skar named finalist for prestigious PAEMST award

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Elementary school teacher Renae Skar of Washington state has been named a state finalist for a prestigious 2024 PAEMST award. Photo Credit: The Reflector

It is always my pleasure to recognize outstanding teachers who have earned accolades for their work in the profession. Today I shine a spotlight on Renae Scar, an elementary teacher from Washington. She has been named a state finalist for a prestigious 2024 PAEMST (Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching).

The PAEMST honors the dedication, hard work, and importance that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, inventors, space explorers, and engineers. The PAEMST program, founded in 1983, is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The honor comes with a visit to the White House and a $10,000 cash prize.

Renae Skar teaches fourth grade at Hockinson Heights Elementary School (HHES) in Hockinson, She has taught there for seven years. In a career that spans a total of 19 years, she has taught every grade level from kindergarten to fifth grade.

Renae is a huge proponent of project-based learning. In fact, she says all of her science units begin with a real-world problem or project. “My students love anything hands-on, but if I had to choose one concept that has a lasting and meaningful impact on students, it’s our salmon unit,” Renae declares. “Students love learning about and raising salmon. We learn about salmon throughout the year, which culminates in releasing the salmon we raise into their natural habitat,” she continues. “Having such a meaningful, real-world experience is memorable and demonstrates how actions can make a difference,” she concludes.

Every teacher can support students in science learning, Renae says. “Look for science in the everyday world,” she advises. “Science is all around us and does not require a laboratory or a doctorate to become accessible,” she believes. “Ask children why they think something is the way it is, then listen and explore their ideas. Science is all about curiosity, which all students have an innate sense of already,” she declares.

Renae Skar: A true Chalkboard Champion.