New Jersey’s Michael Russell, an 8th grade science teacher, has earned a 2020 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award. Photo credit: Veterans of Foreign Wars

I always enjoy sharing stories about accomplished classroom teachers who have also served our country in the US military. One of these is Michael Russell, a science teacher from New Jersey who is also a veteran with the Army National guard.

Michael is employed as an eighth grade science teacher at Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School located in Bridgewater, New Jersey. But he is also a former sergeant with the US Army National Guard. This Chalkboard Hero also serves his community as a volunteer firefighter. His career as an educator has spanned 21 years.

To encourage students to honor our nation’s veterans, Michael has founded a Veterans History Club on campus. The club which organizes a forum for discussions about veterans and also arranges for veterans to come to the campus as speakers. In addition, Michael organizes schoolwide fundraisers that generate donations and supplies for service members, veterans, and their families. He also escorts students on visits to local veterans’ memorials, and he supports the Veterans History Project sponsored by the Library of Congress.

For this tireless work, Michael has been recognized as a 2020 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award for the middle school level. The dedicated educator was sponsored by VFW Post 370 in Highland Park, New Jersey. He was chosen for his work to educate students at his school about the importance and sacrifices of America’s veterans.

Each year, the VFW recognizes one national winner at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Each honoree receives a $1,000 prize for professional development, and an additional $1,000 for their school. Each recipient also receives a pair of commemorative plaques, one for their school and one to keep.

To read more about Michael, see this article published by the New Jersey Education Association.