Tag Archives: African American Teachers

Florida science teacher Jacqueline Lawrence recognized as “exceptional educator”

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Elementary science teacher Jacqueline Lawrence of Orlando, Florida, is one of 22 educators who have been recognized by Orlando Family Magazine as an “exceptional educator.” Photo credit: Orlando Family Magazine

There are many outstanding educators teaching in public classrooms in Florida public schools. One of them is Jacqueline Lawrence, an elementary school science teacher from Orlando. She is one of 22 educators who have been recognized in a 2025 article published in Orlando Family Magazine as an “exceptional educator.” In addition, she was a 2025 finalist for a Teacher of the Year Award in the Orange County Public Schools’ Stellar Awards program.

Jacqueline teaches fifth graders at Rock Lake Elementary School. Her career as an educator spans 12 years. In her classroom, Jacqueline is known for her innovative teaching practices, including using Kagan Mind Mapping strategies, and she has a reputation for designing engaging hands-on labs. And her students have really responded to her efforts. In fact, her instructional strategies are so successful that she has achieved a remarkable 67% pass rate on a state science assessment in a classroom full of students who previously were struggling.

“I learned from a tender age that education is the key,” Jacqueline says. “Once you get education it takes you anywhere. And that’s what I believe in, and I try to install that in my students,” she continues.

In addition to her work as a science teacher, Jacqueline founded the Rock Lake Girls Running Club, a campus debate team, and a dance group. She also launched her school’s first yearbook publication. Additionally, as a mentor and a team leader, Jacqueline actively supports her colleagues, going above and beyond to ensure their success.

To read more about Jacqueline Lawrence and other Florida educators who have received recognition by the Orlando Family Magazine, click on this link to the article Exceptional Educators.

NJ educator Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele: Social Studies teacher extraordinaire

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New Jersey Social Studies teacher and community activist Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele teaches Africana Studies courses at his school. Photo credit: Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele

There are many extraordinary teachers working with young people in our nation’s public schools. One of them is Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele, a Social Studies teacher from Newark, New Jersey.

Bashir teaches US History and Africana Studies at Weequahic High School in New Jersey. The population of the school’s 545 students is comprised almost entirely of African American and Latino students.

In addition to his responsibilities in the classroom, Bashir is also a community activist and an active member of ASCAC, the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations. In fact, the respected educator was among the community activists and educators who took part in this year’s Amistad Commission’s Summer Institute, which was held at Stockton University’s campus in Atlantic City this past August.

One of the primary objectives of the summer institute was to improve the awareness of teachers in New Jersey schools of the state’s Amistad Law, which mandates that African and African American history be included in public school curriculums. The legislation, passed in 2002,  was the brainchild of two former New Jersey State Assembly members, William D. Payne and Craig A. Stanley.

“This law is leading the way to help abolish centuries of white supremacy ideology plaguing humanity in the classroom,” Bashir remarks. “The Amistad law cultivates the progressive and inclusive growth of our society by legally mandating the schools to teach the contributions Black people made to human civilizations in social studies classes and in subject area curricula throughout the state of New Jersey,” he continued.

To learn more about Bashir Akinyele, click on this link to a 2024 Op-Ed article he wrote that was published online by Patch.com. The title of the article is Stomping on Racist Education.

NYC elem teacher Valerie Facciola garners 2025 Big Apple Award

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New York City elementary school teacher Valerie Facciola has garnered a 2025 Big Apple Award. Photo credit: Linked In

I always enjoy sharing the story of an outstanding educator who has earned recognition for their work with students in public schools. Today, I shine a spotlight on Valerie Facciola, an elementary school teacher from New York City. She has garnered a 2025 Big Apple Award from the New York City Department of Eduction.

Valerie has worked as a professional educator for 18 the past years. Currently she teaches at PS 21, Margaret Emery School in Elm Park. In her classroom, Valerie places emphasis on developing engaging curriculum, celebrating diversity, and having fun while learning.

On her campus, Valerie helped launch a Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CR-SE) book club at her school. In this book club, she and her colleagues studied Cultivating Genius by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad. After studying the book, Valerie developed lesson plans, led professional development workshops for fellow educators, and presented virtually at a citywide professional development session hosted by Dr. Muhammad herself.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Valerie has contributed to her school’s overall growth through her leadership on several teams, including the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), the Assessment Team, the CR-SE team, and the campus Professional Learning Community. In addition, she recently completed the coursework for the School Building and District Leadership program.

Valerie earned her Bachelor’s degree in French and Business Administration from St. John’s University in New York in 2001. She earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Brooklyn College in 2007, and she earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Leadership from the College of Saint Rose in Albany in 2023.

The Big Apple awards recognize the exemplary performance of public school teachers throughout New York City who inspire students, model great teaching, and enrich school communities. Nominees are nominated by district leaders and principals.

PA educator Dorothy Sumners Rush inducted into Germantown Historical Society’s Hall of Fame

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Dorothy Sumners Rush, seen here at right, with her daughter Jocelyn Rush and her son, Bruce Rush., in 2015. Photo credit: The Philadelphia Tribune.

There are many fine educators who have earned honor for their work in the field of education. One of these is Dorothy Sumners Rush of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was inducted into the Germantown Historical Society’s Hall of Fame.

Dorothy was born on November 2, 1932 in Trenton, New Jersey. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Science from New Jersey State Teachers College in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1953. She earned her Master’s degree in Administration from Temple University in Philadelphia in 1970.

Once she earned her degrees, Dorothy inaugurated her career as an educator when she accepted a position as a junior high school teacher of mathematics and science in Trenton, New Jersey in 1953.

In 1957, Dorothy relocated to Pennsylvania, where she worked at Emlen Elementary School in Germantown, for 15 years. She then spent 19 years as Vice Principal of Ada Lewis Middle School. As an administrator at Ada Lewis, she taught algebra in a before-school program, nurtured partnerships with businesses that resulted in tutoring for students, and helped students start their own company: Ada Lewis Enterprises, which marketed products such as student-made pillows, cutting boards, and cookies, an enterprise that gave students real-life lessons. She retired in 1991 and then was appointed to serve on the School Board two years later, eventually becoming the Board’s Vice President.

In addition to her induction into the Germantown Historical Society’s Hall of Fame, Dorothy received recognition for her service from the National Adoption Center in Philadelphia in 1985, She also earned honors for her community service from the Philadelphia City Council in Philadelphia in 1994. She was also the first ever recipient of the Polemarch’s Legacy Award from the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Philadelphia Alumni Chapter, in 2015. The same year, Dorothy was named a Women of Moxie by the City of Philadelphia.

The Germantown Hall of Fame in Pennsylvania celebrates the achievements of individuals who have made significant contributions to the cultural history and the community of Germantown. The  honorees embody the skills and talents to the civic, educational, and artistic fabric of the community. Created in 1994 by the Germantown Historical Society operated until 2007. After a hiatus, Historic Germantown reinstated the program in 2018.

Maryland teacher Mary Carter Smith earned fame as a folklorist, radio personality

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Maryland public school teacher Mary Carter Smith earned accolades as a radio personality, folklorist, and griot. Photo Credit: National Association of Black Storytellers

Many talented educators are also known for their artistic pursuits. One of these was Mary Carter Smith, a public school teacher in Maryland who earned fame as a radio personality, folklorist, and griot—a storyteller in African oral tradition. She has earned a reputation nationwide for reviving and promoting storytelling as an art form, as a teaching method, and as a form of communication.

Mary was committed to the power of storytelling in assisting understanding between people and in improving race relations. “Misunderstanding abounds. It has no special resting place. Rich and poor, majority and minority, young and old, Black and White – all feel the sting of being misunderstood,” she asserted. “And there are many people, using many ways, trying to lead us to a better understanding of each other. I am among those who fight misunderstanding,” she continued. “The weapons I use are stories, drama, songs, poetry, and laughter. I bring entertainment with a purpose,” she concluded.

Mary was born in Feb. 10, 1919, in Birmingham, Alabama. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Coppin State University in 1942. In 1943, she accepted a position in the Baltimore City Public School system, where she taught for 31 years. In addition to her work in the classroom, Mary hosted a Saturday morning radio program entitled Griot for the Young and the Young at Heart.

As if this were not enough, Mary was a co-founder of the Arena Players Theatre Company and the Griots’ Circle of Maryland. In 1982, she co-founded the National Association of Black Storytellers. She was also instrumental in the founding of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America in her city.

For her work as an educator and folklorist, Mary earned many accolades. In 1998, she was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. In 1996, she earned the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Circle of Excellence Award, both from the National Storytelling Association. Also, Mary was named the official Griot of Baltimore City, and in 1991, she was named the official Griot of the state of Maryland. In 1985, Mary garnered the Zora Neale Hurston Award. In 1982, she co-founded the National Association of Black Storytellers. She was also instrumental in the founding of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America in her city. But the most amazing of all, I think, is that her image has been featured in the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum located in Baltimore!

Sadly, Mary Carter Smith passed away on April 24, 2007. To read more about her, see this article published by the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame.