Top 20 Inspirational Teacher Movies
Football Coach and Hall of Fame Inductee David Gentry of North Carolina
Football Coach and Hall of Fame Inductee David Gentry of Murphy High School in Murphy, North Carolina, has coached young players for 49 years.
I always enjoy sharing stories about outstanding football coaches. Here is one of the best coaches in the country: David Gentry of Murphy High School in Murphy, North Carolina.
David was born on May 6, 1946, in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina. As a young man, he attended Edneyville High School in Edneyville, in his home state. There he was a four-sport athlete, playing running back and outside linebacker for the Edneyville Yellowjackets. He earned his college degree at Elon University, a private liberal arts college located in Elon, North Carolina.
David inaugurated his career as a football coach in 1971. In the 49 years that followed, he led his teams to capture eight state championships. His fellow coaches admire David’s accomplishments with the Murphy High Bulldogs. The stellar coach holds the state record for most wins at one school. “He does it the old-fashioned way, and I admire that,” remarked Josh Brooks, coach at Franklin. “I can’t wrap my mind around his numbers, and when you have won as much as he has at the level he has played against for that long, it’s really unbelievable,” Josh continued. At age 77, David is in his 36th year as a coach for the Bulldogs.
For his outstanding work on the field, David has been inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. He has also garnered honors from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame and the Western North Carolina Hall of Fame. In addition, he was named the National Federation of State High School Association’s National Coach of the Year in 2013.
To learn more about David Gentry, click on this link to USA’s Citizen Times.
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First grade teacher and Miss Tennessee pageant winner Brianna Mason
First grade teacher, advocate for individuals with autism, and Miss Tennessee pageant winner Brianna Mason
Many fine educators have earned distinction in fields outside of education. One of these is Brianna Mason, an elementary school teacher and advocate for individuals with autism who has garnered the title of Miss Tennessee, 2019.
Brianna was raised in Antioch, Tennessee. She graduated with honors in 2013 from Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, Williamson County, in her home state. Her father is the principal there. Following her high school graduation, Brianna enrolled at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2017 and her Master’s in Elementary Education in 2018. While in college, Brianna was a Charles Lattimore Graduate Scholar with the College of Health, Education, and Human Sciences at UTK, and a part of the selective Urban Multicultural Education Cohort. In addition, she earned the Russell E. Leed Scholarship and the Alex Haley Scholarship.
After her earning her degrees, Brianna accepted a position as a first grade teacher at Hobgood Elementary School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She has also devoted much of her energy to raising awareness about autism. To this end, she founded Advocates for Autism, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to inclusion for individuals and families that are affected by autism.
After Brianna was crowned Miss Tennessee, she decided to take a leave of absence from the classroom to fulfill the responsibilities that go with the title. But she declared that during the year she will serve as an ambassador for the five Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in Tennessee and promote student literacy. She will also advocate for kids with autism in Tennessee and serve as “a voice for educators,” she says. She expects to return to teaching when her reign ends. She also plans to pursue credentials in English language learning and special education.
To read more about Brianna, click on this link to her page at the UTK.
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Social Studies teacher and Massachusetts politician Annissa Essaibi-George
Social Studies teacher and Massachusetts politician Annissa Essaibi-George
I enjoy telling stories about hardworking educators who also experience success as politicians. One of these is Annissa Essaibi-George, a high school social studies teacher who is also a Massachusetts politician. She serves as the member at large on the Boston City Council.
Annissa was raised in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of immigrants. Her mother, whose parents were Polish, was born in a displaced persons camp in Germany. Her father was born in Tunisia. The couple met in school in Paris, married, and immigrated to the United States in 1972. They landed in Boston.
As a young girl, Annissa graduated from Boston Technical High School. The institution is now known as the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. As a high school student, she got involved in student government. She even spoke out at a City Hall Plaza rally protesting school budget cuts proposed by Ray Flynn, then mayor of Boston.
After her high school graduation, Annissa enrolled at Boston University, where she majored in political science. During these years she completed an internship in the office of US Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) in Washington, DC. Once Annissa earned her Bachelor’s degree, she accepted a position as the Student Services Liaison at the Boston Private Industry Council. While in this job, Annissa earned her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
Once she earned her Master’s, Annissa inaugurated her career in education as a social studies teacher at East Boston High School. She instructed courses in Economics, Business Management (as part of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship), Financial Literacy, and Health & Human Services to juniors and seniors. She also served as the assistant softball coach. Annissa taught at the high school for 13 years, from 2001 to 2013.
in November, 2015, Annissa was elected on the Democratic ticket as a member at large on the Boston City Council. There she serves as the Chairperson of the Committee on Homelessness, Mental Health, and Recovery. But she says her main priority is issues related to schools. “Education will always be at the top of my list,” declares Annissa. “I’m a teacher. I’ve had that very real experience. That’s one reason the voters picked me—my intimate knowledge of education as a teacher and as a parent, and as a product of the Boston public schools,” she concludes.
To read more about Annissa, see this link at the City of Boston.
