Wisconsin’s Eugene Powers: The school counselor a cut above the rest

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Wisconsin’s Eugene Powers, a school counselor a cut above the rest.

When honoring our nation’s Chalkboard Champions, we should remember that school counselors are members of the category, too. These hardworking, dedicated professionals toil tirelessly on behalf of students, their families, and even their colleagues. One of these champions is Eugene  Powers of Wisconsin.

Eugene Scott Powers was born on Oct. 26, 1958, in Duluth, Minnesota. He graduated with honors from Proctor High School. He attended both Golden Valley Lutheran College and Concordia University. He earned his degree in Psychology, cum laude. He later graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Superior, with a double Master’s degree in K-12 School and Community Counseling.

Eugene worked as a school counselor from 1998 to 2020, most recently at Superior High School in Superior, Wisconsin. There he went above and beyond in his efforts to come to the aid of his most needy students. Parent Timothy McGrady remembers Eugene with great affection. “He was the school counselor for all of my sons at Superior High School,” McGrady recalls. “When I moved to Superior in 2009 with my autistic son who was seventeen at the time, I didn’t have housing, making me a homeless veteran with disabled son. We lived at a campground in a tent,” McGrady continued. “The first time I met Mr. Powers, it was when my son enrolled at the school for that year. Mr. Powers, after we were done, reached into his pocket and took $145.00 out of his wallet and gave it to me, apologizing that he didn’t have more,” McGrady described. “When I had the money to repay him, he refused to take it. Eugene Powers was a truly a cut above the rest. May his memory be eternal,” McGrady concluded.

This dedicated school counselor passed away on Jan. 17, 2020. He will be interred next to his wife, who preceded him in death, at Industrial Cemetery in Culver, Saint Louis County, Minnesota. To read more about Eugene, view this obituary published in the Duluth News Tribune.

The incomparable music director Genein Letford

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Elementary music educaor Genein Letford of Canoga Park, California.

Students all over our country are indeed fortunate to be exposed to the influences of talented music educators. One of these is Genein Letford, the Music Director of New Academy, a charter elementary school in Canoga Park, California. 

Genein earned her Bachelor’s degree from UCLA. There she majored in Psychology and minored in Education with a focus in Diversifying in the Liberal Arts. This unique program was designed to give teachers a foundation in education and then expose them to different content areas. After earning her Bachelor’s degree, Genein completed the requirements for her teaching credential through a year long program called Teachers for a New Era. The program allowed her more hands-on experience with teaching than a traditional teaching program. Recently, Genein completed her Master’s thesis at California State University, Northridge.

Genein’s journey to her position as a music educator began when she was in the third grade. At that young age, she was labeled a special education student because she suffered from a speech impediment. She stuttered when speaking. To help her overcome her disability, Genein’s mother insisted she learn to play an instrument. The child chose the trumpet, mostly because it was one of the least expensive instruments to rent. A year later, Genein joined the school band. Through music, she found her voice. 

So far, Genein’s career as an educator has spanned 15 years. Her approach to teaching music is unique and innovative. She designed an interdisciplinary curriculum that incorporates history, social studies, science, language arts, and mathematics. Her talents extend into the community as well. in 2009, Genein began the Music For All: Instrument Scholarship Fund to provide instruments for low-income students who want to continue their music education. She also works as a motivational speaker.

For her work in the classroom, Genein has earned many accolades. She garnered the 2010 Great American Teacher Award. She also earned the National Sontag Prize in Urban Education.

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, click on this link to Genein Letford.

Jean Byrne: Teacher and former New Jersey First Lady

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Jean Byrne: Teacher and former New Jersey First Lady.

There are many examples of talented teachers who have also made a mark in the political world. Such is the case with Jean Byrne, an elementary school teacher who became the First Lady of New Jersey in the 1970’s.

Jean was born in Newark, New Jersey, on October 17, 1926. Her parents were George and Jane (Crysler) Featherly. She was raised in nearby West Orange. After she graduated from West Orange High School, Jean enrolled in Bucknell University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree. Although she majored in Spanish, she garnered academic awards in English composition and literature. She later earned her Master’s degree in Education from New York University.

After her college graduation, Jean taught second grade at an elementary school in West Orange, New Jersey. She also taught in schools in Harlem and Manhattan.

In 1953, Jean married Brendan T. Byrne. In those days, women teachers were not allowed to work when they were in the family way, so when Jean became pregnant with her first child in 1954, she was forced to resign from her teaching position. Jean and her husband had a total of seven children together.

Jean became the First Lady of New Jersey when her former husband, Brendan Byrne, was elected governor in 1974 on the Democratic ticket.  The couple served their state until 1982. During her tenure as First Lady, Jean concentrated her energy on issues related to education and health care. One of her daughters was born with Down’s Syndrome, so Jean advocated tirelessly for research into the condition. She was a lifelong advocate of quality education and civil rights.

Jean and Brendan were divorced in 1993, and Jean settled in Princeton, New Jersey. Sadly, she passed away from babesiosis, a tick-borne disease which affects the red blood cells, on August 9, 2015. She was 88 years old.

To learn more about this amazing educator, see this interview recorded by Rutgers University.

Texas educator Ruby Terrill Lomax: One of the founders of Delta Kappa Gamma

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Texas educator Ruby Terrill Lomax: One of the founders of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society.

Throughout history, there have been many superb educators that have served in Texas public schools. Many of these have even become the teachers of teachers. Among these is Ruby Terrill Lomax, a high school Latin teacher from Dallas.

Ruby was born in 1886 and raised in Denton, Denton County, Texas. As a young woman, she earned her high school diploma at North Texas Normal College. In 1905, she completed the requirements for an Associate’s degree at John B. Denton College, and in 1906 she earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas.

Once she earned her Bachelor’s, Ruby accepted a position as a teacher of Latin at Dallas High School. While teaching in Dallas, Ruby spent four of her summers furthering her education at the University of Chicago. The other two summers she spent completing courses in Latin and Greek at Columbia University in New York.

Ruby’s work as an educator at Dallas High was so highly prized that in 1924 she garnered a Latin fellowship to the University of Texas, Austin. In 1918, she was offered a faculty position at East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce. There she taught Latin and served as the Dean of Women.

Ruby completed the coursework for her Master’s degree in 1925. That year, she accepted a position as the Dean of Woman and Associate Professor of Classical Languages at the University of Texas. She held that position until 1937. During her years at the University of Texas, Ruby met and married the well-known folklorist John A. Lomax.

In 1929, Ruby was one of 12 educators who founded the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society (DKG). By long-standing custom, the women were prohibited by from meeting together professionally, yet they believed there was a pressing need for an organization in which women educators could assist each other in their efforts towards becoming better teachers. They extended membership in the organization to rural and urban teachers; preschool, elementary, high school, college, and university teachers; librarians; and school administrators. DKG members worked to better professional preparation, to recognize women’s work in the teaching profession, and to fund scholarships to those who needed support to improve their professional skills.

Ruby served the organization as its Parliamentarian, a National First Vice President, and its Keeper of the Records. She also served on numerous national committees, including Constitution (1929-1930), Membership (1933-1937), Initiation (1933-1934) Letters and Publications (1940-1942), Nominations (1941-1942), Awards (1946-1952), and Teacher Welfare and Morale (1954-1956). She represented the Founders on the National Planning Committee from 1946-1950.

This amazing chalkboard champion passed away on December 28, 1961. She was 75 years old. She is interred at Grove Hill Memorial Park in Dallas.

To read more about Ruby, click on this link at the DKG website: Ruby Terrill Lomax.

A child’s memory of Martin Luther King

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Today’s national celebration of the birthday of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., offers teachers an excellent opportunity to share the story of this prominent figure in America’s history. The holiday provides an opportunity to guide young people in their reflection on what lessons about life this great leader’s life can offer us.

As a young child myself in the 1960’s, I can remember avidly watching the “I Have a Dream” speech on television that hot August night in 1963. I was eight years old then, and impressionable. I’m all grown up now, but throughout the five and a half decades since that historic March on Washington, whenever I watch video of that historic speech, I am impressed all over again. I am impressed by the possibility that the world we share could, and should, be a better place. I am reminded by the fact that no matter how young—or old—I am, I can take action, even if it’s small, that would make such improvement come about. This is one of the most important lessons MLK has taught us all, not only then, but most especially now.

The video of King’s historic speech is below. To learn more about this amazing man, click on MLK Biography. To examine the website of the MLK Center for Nonviolent Change, click on King Center.