Teacher Sondra Erickson serves in Minnesota House of Reps

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Retired high school English teacher Sondra Erickson also serves in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Photo credit: www.sondraerickson.com.

Many excellent teachers achieve success in fields other than education. One of these is Sondra Erickson, a retired teacher who also served as a state legislator in the Minnesota State House of Representatives.

Sondra was born on March 2, 1942, in Ada, Minnesota. She was raised in Taft, North Dakota. She graduated from Hillsboro High School, and then from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, earning her Bachelor’s degree in English in 1964. She attended graduate school at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1968 to 1970.

After she earned her degrees, Sondra taught high school English at Princeton High School, a public school located in Princeton, Minnesota. Her career as an educator spanned 35 years.

Sondra was first elected to represent District 16A and 17A in the state legislature on the Republican ticket in 1998. She was re-elected in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006, and served until 2008. Since 2013, she has represented District 15A in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Sondra carried her interest in educational matters with her into her new position. She worked tirelessly on the Committees for Education Policy; Education Finance; Higher Education Finance and Policy; Ethics; and Taxes. In addition to her work in the legislature, the talented educator served on the Minnesota Board of Teaching from 1992 to 1997, bringing her “students first” philosophy to the table. Currently, Sondra says her focus is to open doors for high quality teachers of color.

In addition to her responsibilities as a legislator, Sondra is a member of American Legion Auxiliary, Civic Betterment Club, Central Minnesota Republican Women, and Farm Bureau.

To read more about Chalkboard Politician Sondra Erickson, see her website at www.sondraerickson.com.

Retired Oregon teacher Kris Field-Eaton serves her community

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Oregon teacher Kris Field-Eaton has worked diligently since her retirement to improve her community. For her efforts, she has earned a DKG community service award. Photo credit: Bethlehem House of Bread.

Many retired teachers continue to make a significant impact on their community, even after they have left the classroom. One of these is Kris Field-Eaton of Sherwood, Oregon, who has just been named the recipient of a DKG 2020 community service award.

Kris taught for 33 years in the Sherwood School District in her home town of Sherwood. There she worked as the Talented and Gifted (TAG) Program Director. During the years she spent in the classroom, she also worked tirelessly to establish school gardens and to foster a chess program in each of the District’s schools.

Since her retirement, Kris has donated countless hours to the community service organization Bethlehem House of Bread. Her most recent effort has been to create a community garden and to work diligently to establish a food pantry that is open seven days a week. She serves on the leadership team for Bethlehem House. She also volunteers at the Tigard Public Library and the Oregon Food Bank. In addition, Kris plays flute in the One More Time Around Again Marching Band, a group of more than 400 musicians that is based in Portland, Oregon.

For her significant contributions to her city, Kris has been awarded the 2020 Service to Community Award by the organization Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG). DKG is an organization for teachers that works to improve professional preparation, to recognize women’s work in the teaching profession, and to fund scholarships for those who need support to improve their professional skills.

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this article about her published by The Times supported by the Pamplin Media Group.

 

Ohio’s Hazel Mountain Walker; Educator and pioneer lawyer

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Ohio teacher Hazel Mountain Walker was one of the first African American women to pass the bar in her state.

Many fine educators also earn acclaim in fields outside of the classroom. One of these is Hazel Mountain Walker, a teacher from Ohio who was among the first African American women to pass the bar in her state. She was also an activist for racial integration in her city.

Hazel was born on February 16, 1889, in Warren, Ohio. As a young woman, she graduated from Cleveland Normal Training School. After her graduation, she inaugurated her career by accepting her first teaching job at Mayflower Elementary School in 1909. She taught elementary school for a total of 27 years, from 1909 to 1936. During those years, the experienced educator earned a law degree from the Baldwin Wallace College in 1919. The same year, she was admitted to the bar in the state of Ohio. Instead of practicing as an attorney, she decide to provide educational services to the juvenile courts.

Later, Hazel earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1939 and her Master’s degree in Education in 1941, both from Western Reserve University. Even after earning her law degree, she continued to her work in fields related to education, including serving as the principal for a number of elementary schools.

Throughout her lengthy professional life, Hazel was a sought-after speaker on race relations in her city. She was appointed to the Cleveland Womanpower Committee to advise on the integration of African American women into the war-time work force. In 1960, she was honored by the Urban League of Greater Cleveland for serving as an officer for its forerunner, the Negro Welfare League. Hazel was also active in the Cuyahoga County Republican Party, the Women’s City Club, and at Karamu House, an organization that worked, in part, to achieve racial integration. In fact, Karamu House inducted her into its Hall of Fame in 2007 to honor her for 25 years of service on its board.

Hazel Mountain Walker retired from the teaching profession in 1958. After her retirement, she served two years on the Ohio State Board of Education. This Chalkboard Champion passed away on May 16, 1980, in Cleveland, Ohio. She was 91 years old. To read more about this amazing educator and activist, see her biography at the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.

North Carolina teacher Jessica Embry gives life to save children

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Sadly, we report that North Carolina music teacher Jessica Embry gave her life rescuing two children from a treacherous rip tide at the beach. Photo credit: New Hanover County Schools.

We know that many teachers are so dedicated to students that they would even risk their own lives to save or protect their kids. Tragically, one North Carolina teacher gave her life in an attempt to save two children when they were caught in a treacherous rip tide at the beach on April 18, 2021. That teacher was Jessica Embry, a music educator at Eugene Ashley High School in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The children were caught in a rip current while swimming at Kure Beach in southeastern North Carolina. In an attempt to rescue the children, members of the Kure Beach Fire Department and several bystanders, including the teacher, entered the water. They were able to successfully bring the children to shore, said police. But in the rescue process, Jessica suffered cardiac arrest. Aid was administered at the scene, but attempts to revive the beloved educator were unsuccessful.

Jessica was born on February 23, 1981, and raised in Clarksburg, West Virginia. As a youngster, she had a reputation for being an excellent swimmer. started her career at Ashley High in the New Hanover County School District in 2010, and became a full-time staff member in 2012. She previously taught orchestra at Myrtle Grove Middle School in New Hanover School District, and Lumberton Junior and Senior High Schools in Robeson County, North Carolina.

“She approached every day as a challenge to be a better person and to help more people in the process. She will be greatly missed,” asserted Jacki Booth, Arts Director of New Hanover County Schools. Patrick McCarty, Principal of Ashley High School, agreed. “There are no words I can offer to express how profound this loss is for our school and community,” he said. McCarty remembered that Jessica inaugurated a group that paired her orchestra students with special-needs students to help the latter learn how to play music. The group even played the National Anthem during Brunswick County’s most recent Special Olympics event.

To read more about this Chalkboard Hero, see this story written about her published by WWAY.