New York teacher Gabrielle Gayle stood up for her colleagues

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New York special education teacher Gabrielle Gayle stood up for the rights of her colleagues, literally.

I often encounter stories about educators who work towards bettering the lives of their colleagues. This is true of Gabrielle Gayle, a fourth grade special education teacher from New York City. Sadly, this particular educator passed away from complications of Covid-19 on April 25, 2020.

Gabrielle Gayle taught at Merrick Academy, a public charter school located in the Queens. In a career that spanned 12 years, four of them were spent at Merrick Academy. Her fellow teaches remember her fondly as a generous person, willing to help both students and co-workers. She was known for her long days. One time she even stayed so late she got locked in the building!

This indefatigable educator was also a union representative. During the most recent contract negotiation, her colleagues describe what they describe as Gabrielle’s “Norma Rae” moment. “Our Board of Trustees was not giving us a date to negotiate, and Gabby and I organized staff to come to the Board meeting,” recalled colleague Christine Hernandez. “We all wore black and agreed we would determine the right time to stand up and be recognized. Gabby texted me, ‘I can’t take it anymore! I’m going to stand up.’ She stood up and she said, ‘We, the Merrick Academy teaching staff, demand that you recognize us. We’ve been waiting for a date for negotiations and we’re not going to wait any longer,'” Hernandez continued. Everyone stood up with Gabby, and educators soon got their negotiation date. “She really lived her principles and would not back down. She was not afraid to be vocal and stand up for what she knew was right,” Hernandez concluded.

While educating New York City schoolchildren, Gabrielle also served as a softball coach for Roosevelt Middle and High schools. At Utica College, where she double majored in special education and general education, Gabrielle mentored other students and fought for equity for women and students of color. She was also pursuing an advanced degree. She had only one semester to go before completing the requirements for her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University.

When she passed away, Gabrielle was only 34 years old, and pregnant with her second child. She leaves behind a husband and four-year-old daughter. To read her obituary, see this link to New York State United Teachers.

On 9/11, we remember teacher and Army officer Bill Ruth

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Bill Ruth

It has been 19 years since our nation was rocked to the core by the September 11th terrorist attacks. Like most teachers who went to school that day, I distinctly remember how difficult it was to ease the fears and distress of my students while trying to keep my own alarm and emotions under control. And now, so many years later, when I reflect upon the events of that day, I wonder if any educators lost their lives in the attacks.

In conducting some research, I discovered the story of one heroic educator: William (Bill) R. Ruth, a retired middle school social studies teacher from Maryland. After his career as an educator, Bill was working at the Pentagon as a Chief Warrant Officer for the US Army. He was in his office there when the building was struck by American Airlines Flight 77. He was one of 30 individuals on the ground who lost their lives in the tragedy. On the day of his death, Bill Ruth was 57 years old.

Bill had a long record of service to his country. He served in the Marines during the Vietnam War, where he was a helicopter pilot. He would later tell friends of the missions he flew, evacuating the wounded and the dead. As a Maryland National Guard reservist, Bill also served in the Persian Gulf War. When the conflict erupted, Bill was pulled out of the classroom and sent to the Middle East.

After his tour of duty in Vietnam, Bill earned his Master’s degree and became a social studies teacher, a career that spanned three decades. Right before he retired, Bill worked at John T. Baker Middle School in Damascus, Maryland.

“Mr. Ruth was my seventh grade social studies and history teacher at John T. Baker Middle School in Damascus, Maryland, way back in 1995,” remembers educator Barbara Boyd Overmier. “He was the best teacher, and he made learning fun. He would bring in pictures and slideshows of helicopters he flew, and always had a fantastic story to tell. I remember being more interested in going to his class than any other. I remember him as a kind man, wanting to make sure we achieved our potential and enjoyed doing it.”

Bill Ruth is remembered fondly by many, including scores of former students. And he has left a lasting legacy to his profession. “We lost not only a great man that day,” expresses Overmier, “but our country lost a hero. He was such an inspiration to me that I recently completed my education to become a teacher so that I could touch lives the way that he did,” she discloses. “We’ll miss you Mr. Ruth, you were the best of the best!”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

To read more about this Chalkboard champion and American hero, follow this link.

We remember three dedicated teachers lost on 9/11

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The poignant stories of heroic classroom teachers who took care of their students during the attacks on September 11, 2001, are amazing, touching, and inspirational. But one of the most heart-wrenching of all is the story of three teachers aboard Flight 77, the plane that crashed into the Pentagon, killing 64 souls aboard and 125 souls on the ground.

Sarah Clark, Hilda E. Taylor, and James Debeuneure were teachers from Washington, DC. The three were selected by the National Geographic Society to escort a group of  elementary students on a field trip to Southern California. This field trip, known as the Sustainable Seas Expedition, gave underprivileged urban students the opportunity to  spend time at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, where they would work as junior marine biologists and study oceanic life. Tragically, the lives of all three exemplary educators came to a swift end on September 11, 2001, when the plane carrying the students and teachers was hijacked by five extremists and crashed into the Pentagon.

Sarah Clark

Teacher Sarah Clark

“Sarah Clark was the teacher every kid wanted for sixth grade — just strict enough that the classroom never fell into free-for-all, just cool enough so that class time was never too predictable,” remembered Sarah’s former student Carla Garnett. The beloved teacher was described by former student Sharon Pendana as “patient, kind, and deeply skilled at finding the workable paths between curricula and individual student understanding.” Sarah was a sixth-grade teacher at Backus Middle School in Washington, DC. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Winston-Salem State University, and her Master’s degree in Urban Learning from George Washington University. She was 65 years years old.

Hilda Taylor

Teacher Hilda E. Taylor

Sixth grade teacher Hilda  E.Taylor taught at Madeleine V. Leckie Elementary School located in Southwest Washington, DC. Hilda was a native of Sierra Leone, and came to the United States to further her education and to seek a better life for herself and her family. “She was very enthusiastic, very dedicated,” remembered Denise Sessoms, Assistant Principal. “She was always seeking new and creative learning experiences for her students. Parents looked forward to having their children in her room.” Hilda earned her Master’s degree from the University of the District of Columbia. She was 58 years old.

James Debeuneure

Teacher James Debeuneure

Educator James Debeuneure was a fifth-grade teacher at Ketcham Elementary School in Southeast Washington. James earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Johnson C. Smith University in 1966. He was 45 years old when he decided he wanted to be a teacher, so he went back to college, earned his Master’s degree in Education, and inaugurated his career in the classroom. “He really loved teaching,” remembered his mother-in-law, Ruth Lea. “He would tell stories about children coming to school hungry or with weapons that he’d take off them. He was more a mentor and a friend to them than a teacher.” Ketcham Principal Romaine Thomas recalled that James often came to school early and stayed late to sponsor the student safety patrol, and that he worked tirelessly to find new material and fresh approaches for classroom assignments. “He was such a committed and dedicated teacher,” Principal Thomas said. James was 58 years old.

It must have been a comfort for the students who were also lost that day to be near their beloved teachers in their last moments. For losing their lives in the line of duty, these chalkboard heroes have had their names inscribed on the Memorial to Fallen Educators at the National Teachers Hall of Fame in Emporia, Kansas. You can read more about them at NTHF Fallen Educators.

Indiana’s Mark Snodgrass garners Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award

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Computer science educator Mark Snodgrass of Indianapolis, Indiana, is one of ten exceptional educators from all over the country who has garnered an Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award.

Ten exceptional educators from around the country have garnered a Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award from Amazon. One of these is Mark Snodgrass, a computer science teacher at Southport High School in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mark was recognized for his work helping students in under-served and under-represented communities build skills in computer science. “Computer science skills will be of vital importance as we take on and solve the challenges of the future,” declared Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer. This is the first year Amazon has offered the prize.

“Mr. Snodgrass is a shining example of innovative instruction,” declared Brian Knight, principal of Southport High. “He recognizes that education doesn’t happen only inside of the classroom. Instead, Mr. Snodgrass builds meaningful relationships with community partners who have vast resources that engage students and take their learning to the next level.”

A graduate of the University of Indianapolis, Mark’s career as an educator has spanned 18 years. He has worked at Southport High School for four of those years. Mark is committed to providing his students with new learning experiences. He inaugurated a “Girls that Code” program into his curriculum to encourage more girls to pursue STEM careers. In addition, Mark encourages every student to join the FIRST Robotics team.

Each of the ten award-winning teachers received a prize package valued at over $50,000 to be used to benefit his or her school and students.The package included Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablets, classroom essentials from AmazonBasics, and additional items from Amazon Essentials. Award recipients also received one full year of Amazon Music Unlimited and a 12-month Audible.com Gold Gift Membership. Mark and his fellow award-winners also received a $200 Amazon gift card to celebrate their hard work on behalf of computer science students across the country.

To learn more about all the winners of the award, see this link at Amazonblog.