Former teacher, Iowa State Senator, and Ambassador Mary E. Kramer

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Former teacher, Iowa State Senator, and Ambassador Mary E. Kramer.

There are many accomplished educators who have also enjoyed successful careers in politics. One of these is Mary E. Kramer, a teacher and administrator who served as an Iowa State Senator and an ambassador.

Mary was born on June 14, 1935, in Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa, and was raised in Iowa City. As a young girl, she attended Iowa City High School. Upon her high school graduation, she enrolled at the University of Iowa where she majored in Piano Performance. There she earned both a Bachelor’s degree, and also a Master’s degree in Education.

Once she completed her education, Mary worked as a music teacher and school administrator in her home town. Her career as an educator spanned nearly 20 years. Mary left the teaching profession in 1975 to accept a position as Corporate Personnel Director for Younkers, Inc. She also worked for Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where she served first as Vice President of Human Resources and then as Vice President of Community Investments.

In 1990, Mary was elected to the Iowa State Senate on the Republican ticket. She represented the cities of Clive, Des Moines, and West Des Moines. While serving in the Senate, the former teacher championed issues related to education, health care, and economic development. In 2002, Mary was appointed by President George W. Bush to be the Chairperson of the White house Commission for Presidential Scholars. In 2003, the President selected her the US Ambassador to the Seven Island Nations of the Eastern Caribbean. She remained in that post until she retired from politics in 2006.

In addition to her other accomplishments, Mary has also authored two books. Her first book, More than a Walk on the Beach: Confessions of an Unlikely Diplomat, was published in 2010. Her second book, An Unlikely Ambassador and Her Diplomatic Daughter: Stories & Recipes for the Life You Want. The volume, published in 2015, was co-authored with her daughter Krista Kramer-Hartman.

This chalkboard champion was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2015 was named a Distinguished Alumni of the University of Iowa. To read more about her, view this link at the Archives of Women’s Political Communication.

Nominate a chalkboard champion for this blog!

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There are so many talented educators out there that by myself I cannot possibly find out about them all. How about some help? Do you know a remarkable teacher?Someone everyone looks up to: students, parents, and administrators alike. Someone who serves as a model for the profession? A true Chalkboard Champion? This teacher could be someone who is already retired, or even someone from history that you admire. You can nominate that educator to be the subject of a blog post on this web site. Simply use the contact form at right to send me the name and email information for the teacher you would like to nominate. I’ll do the rest! Hope to hear from you soon!

Music educator Dre Graham: Just named Florida’s 2020 Teacher of the Year

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Congratulations to music educator Dr. Dakeyan Chan “Dre” Graham of Tampa, Florida, who has just been named his state’s 2020 Teacher of the Year. Dre was selected from more than 176,900 Florida excellent public school teachers.

The honored educator currently serves as the Director of Instrumental Studies at his alma mater, C. Leon King High School. He has been an educator there for 10 years. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Dre works in his community to promote and infuse music education into Title I schools. Title I schools serve a large number of low-income students. He also belongs to numerous professional organizations.

During his years with Hillsborough County Public Schools, Dre’s students have performed at a high level of determination and focus. Some have even been selected to perform in the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran appreciates Dre’s expertise. “The fact that Dr. Graham has repeatedly earned superior ratings from the Florida School Music Association is a testament to his talent and ability to instill in his students a passion for the magnificent art of musical performance,” the commissioner asserts. “He possesses many qualities that make him an excellent role model, and it is a pleasure to recognize him.”

Dre earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from the University of Florida. He also earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. As if all that wasn’t enough, he has a PhD in Music Education from the University of South Florida.

Music educator Dr. Dakeyan Chan “Dre” Graham of Tampa, Florida, has just been named his state’s 2020 Teacher of the Year.

In his role as the 2020 Florida Teacher of the Year, Dre will also serve for one year as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education. In this capacity he will work to increase public awareness of Florida’s exceptional teachers and the teaching profession. He will have the opportunity to promote and celebrate the countless contributions of Florida’s teachers. He will also provide professional learning opportunities for fellow educators and recruit future teachers into the education profession. In addition, Dre will receive an $8,000 two-Year scholarship from the Florida Prepaid College Board which he will be able to give to any student of his choice.

To read more about this chalkboard champion, click on this link to a story about him published in the Tampa Bay Times.

Michigan’s Maxine Berman: English teacher, politician, and women’s health care advocate

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Maxine Berman: Former high school English teacher and elected member of the Michigan State House of Representatives.

Many talented educators leave the classroom to go on to successful careers in politics. One of these is Maxine Berman, a high school English teacher who was elected to the Michigan State House of Representatives.

Maxine was born on April 17, 1946. She grew up in Oak Park, Michigan, and attended Oak Park High School. After her high school graduation, she enrolled at the University of Michigan. Once she earned her degree, Maxine returned to her alma mater, Oak Park High School, to teach English.

After several years, Maxine left the teaching profession to run for political office. She won election to the Michigan State House of Representatives on the Democratic ticket. She served there from 1983 to 1996. During her 14-year political career, the former teacher worked tirelessly as an advocate for women’s rights and other social justice issues. Representative Berman successfully pushed for mammography facilities in Michigan to be accredited, and then lobbied the federal government to require accreditation nationwide. She was a member of the House Bi-Partisan Team, which developed a new strategy for funding pubic schools. She also served on the House Elections Committee, where she created an expedited system for voter registration. Maxine also accepted the post of Chairperson for the Michigan Women’s Campaign Fund, a bi-partisan organization that raises money to assist women who run for political office.

Once Maxine completed her terms in office, she established an advocacy and consulting firm she named Capitol Strategies, Inc. She also became the leader of the Women’s Health Network of Michigan. In 2008, Maxine returned to her roots as a professional educator when she accepted a  position as the Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government at Central Michigan University. She was the first woman to ever be named to the position.

Maxine retired in 2013. Two years later she was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. More about this at www.michiganwomen.org.

Sadly, Maxine Berman succumbed to lung cancer on March 2, 2018. She was 71 when she passed away. She is interred in West Bloomfield, Michigan.