First grade teacher and Miss Tennessee pageant winner Brianna Mason

Posted on by

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.

Social Studies teacher and Massachusetts politician Annissa Essaibi-George

Posted on by

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.

Educator Cornelius Salisbury earned renown as a painter

Posted on by

Educator Cornelius Salisbury is well-known for his paintings of Utah landscapes, pioneer homes, and historical figures of the Old West.

Many fine educators have distinguished themselves in fields outside of education. One of these is Cornelius Salisbury, a public school teacher from Salt Lake City, Utah, who has also earned renown as an artist.

Cornelius was born on December 31, 1882, in Richfield in central Utah. He earned his college degrees at the University of Utah and at Brigham Young University. He also refined his artistic skills extensive, training at the Art Students League of New York, the Pratt Institute of New York City, the Broadmoor Art Academy in Colorado Springs, and the Corcoran Museum of Art in Washington, DC.

Cornelius earned fame as a painter of landscapes of his native state, pioneer homes, and historical figures from the Old West. He served as the president of Associated Utah Artists, and was a member of the Utah Historical Society.

Cornelius taught school in Salt Lake City until 1943. He taught at Lewis Junior High in Ogden from 1920 to 1924, at Jordan Junior High from 1925 to 1927, and at West High School from 1928 to 1943. He is so highly respected in Utah that his work is on display at many public school throughout the state. Some of his pieces also hang in the Springville Museum of Art.

This amazing educator passed away on Oct. 9, 1970, in Salt Lake City. He was 87 years old. He is interred at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah. To read more about this amazing educator, click on this link to his biography compiled by the University of Utah.

First-year kindergarten teacher Blake Fingalsen garners prestigious award

Posted on by

I just love to tell stories about remarkable teachers who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is kindergarten teacher Blake Fingalsen of Kansas. Blake has just been named the 2020 Horizon Award Winner by the Kansas State Department of Education. Blake teaches at Rhein Benninghoven Elementary School.

The Horizon Award program is designed to identify and recognize talented first-year educators at both the elementary and secondary levels. Here’s an inspirational video about this remarkable teacher.