Jessica Saum named 2022 Arkansas State Teacher of the Year

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Special Education teacher Jessica Saum of Arkansas has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: Cabot Public Schools

It is always wonderful when a deserving educator is honored for their work in the classroom. Today, I’ll share the story of one such educator: Jessica Saum of Little Rock, Arkansas. She has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.

Jessica teaches special education to kindergarteners through fourth graders in a self-contained classroom at Stagecoach Elementary School in Cabot, Arkansas. Before her employment at Cabot Public Schools, Jessica taught for one year at Jacksonville North Pulaski School District.

The honored educator confesses that serving as a special needs teacher is her passion. “Every child deserves what’s best,” she declares. “Every child deserves an opportunity to succeed, and every child deserves for us to expect them to do great things,” she continues. In her classroom, Jessica delivers a curriculum that emphasizes experiential learning, inclusion, and community involvement.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Jessica leads professional development workshops that promote exposure to grade-level curriculum and meaningful relationships with experienced educators.

Also, Jessica is nationally published, and her work extends to supporting military families, detailing how educators can support these families during deployments and difficult transitions.

As if all that were not enough, Jessica serves as the advisor for the Kiwanis Kids Club, an organization that organizes student participation in service projects. She volunteers as a Key Spouse at the Little Rock Air Force Base and is the 2020 314th Airlift Wing Key Spouse of the Year. She is a Fellow of both the Arkansas State Teacher Association Senior Advocacy and the Association of American Educators Advocacy. As if all that were not enough,, Jessica is a member of the United through Reading Literacy Advisory Council and a Special Advisor to the Arkansas Council for Military Children.

Jessica earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Special Education in 2011 and her Master’s degree in Grades 4-12 Special Education in 2016, both from Arkansas State University. In December 2020, she completed the requirements for her Special Education Director certificate.

 

Teacher Elizabeth A. Neilson became a prominent public health educator

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One-time public school teacher Elizabeth Neilson became a prominent figure in the field of public health education. Photo Credit: Find a Grave

There are many examples of dedicated teachers who have made significant contributions to society. One of these is Elizabeth A. Neilson, a public school teacher who became a prominent figure in the field of public health education.

Elizabeth was born on Oct. 13, 1911, in Medford, Massachusetts. When she was a young girl, she attended Medford High School in Medford, Massachusetts. After her high school graduation, she earned her undergraduate degrees from Boston Bouve College and Northeastern University. She earned a PhD in Education from Boston University.

Elizabeth inaugurated her career as a teacher in Brookline, Massachusetts, when she accepted a position at the Brimmer May School in Chestnut Hill. She also taught in Medford public schools for a number of years. Later she became a professor at Lowell State College. She then moved on to become the Chair of the Department of Health and Physical Education for several years. She also worked as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Throughout all the years of her professional life, she advocated for better preparation of health education teachers in public schools.

In addition to her work as an educator, Elizabeth was active in several health-related organizations. She was involved in several committees in the American School Health Association (ASHA). She served on the Board of Directors for the American Diabetes Association, the National Mental Health Association, and the American Heart Association. In 1968, she was named the President of the American School Health Association.

As if all these activities were not enough, Elizabeth was also instrumental in the production of numerous health textbooks. In 1965, she published a series of textbooks for grades 1-8 known as the School Health series. She contributed articles to a variety of professional journals, including Massachusetts Teacher, Journal School of Health, Journal of Health, and Physical Education and Recreation. Also, she was the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Health Values: Achieving High Level Wellness.

For her work as a health educator, Elizabeth earned many accolades. Boston Bouver College awarded her a Distinguished Services Award, and Northeastern University honored her with their Distinguished Alumni Award in Health Sciences. She also garnered the William A. Howe Award from the American School Heath Association.

Sadly, Chalkboard Champion Elizabeth A. Neilson passed away on Oct. 4, 2001, in Wells, Maine. She was 89 years old.

 

Florida counselor and teacher Vicky Puentes earns recognition from GMA, VRBO

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Counselor and former English teacher Vicky Puentes of Miami, Florida, has garnered special attention from the ABC show Good Morning America and she’s won a $20,000 prize from VRBO! Photo Credit: Miami High News

I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional educators who are rewarded for their hard work improving the lives of students. One of these is Vicky Puentes a counselor and former English teacher in Miami, Florida. She has garnered special attention from the ABC television show Good Morning America, and she’s won a whopping $20,000 prize from VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner)!

In all, Vicky’s career spans nearly 20 years. For the past five years, she has worked as a counselor and college advisor at Miami Senior High School in Miami. Prior to that, she worked as an English teacher there.

Vicky’s dedication to her students is so evident. “The hours I put in here are never wasted,” declares the honored teacher. “Everything that I do is just to maximize someone else’s personal and human experience,” she continued.

As it so happens, Vicky graduated from that very same high school before she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Miami. Three of her four children also graduated from Miami Senior High, and her fourth is currently attending there.

Click on the link below to watch the six-minute video below to learn more about this Chalkboard Champion.

Good Morning America honors counselor and teacher Vicky Puentes