Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

North Carolina teacher Eugenia Floyd named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year

Posted on by

North Carolina elementary school teacher Eugenia Floyd has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching.

I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional educators who have earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of these is Eugenia Floyd, an elementary school teacher from North Carolina who has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.

Eugenia has taught fourth grade for eight years at Mary Scroggs Elementary School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In her classroom, the honored educator says she emphasizes equity. To achieve this goal, she teaches a unit on social issues. She facilitates discussions about such topics as bullying, racism, and sexism. “Not only do I want to make sure I teach my students material that can connect to the world around us,” Eugenia says, “but I also want them to be able to use what they have learned in order to make themselves and the world a better place,” she continues. “When students are able to connect to their lives and world around them, learning will most definitely happen and stick,” she concludes. In addition, Eugenia says a key element of her approach is having high expectations of all students, rather than imposing any limits on their capacity to learn.

The honored educator earned her Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She completed her K-6 teacher certification at North Carolina Central University in 2013. In 2020, she earned her Master’s degree in Gifted Education from Elon University located in Elon, North Carolina.

As North Carolina’s Teacher of the Year, Kimberly will serve as a state ambassador for teachers and as an advisor on the State Board of Education for two years. The honor includes a cash award of $8,500, a trip to the National Teacher of the Year Conference and International Space Camp, a leased car, a mobile phone, a foldable laptop computer, and the opportunity to travel abroad.

Congratulations, Eugenia!

Teacher Sue Cahill serves in Iowa House of Representatives

Posted on by

Elementary school teacher Sue Cahill also serves in the Iowa State House of Representatives. Photo Credit: Ballotpedia

Many fine classroom teachers go on to have successful careers in politics. One of these is Sue Cahill, an elementary teacher from Iowa who has been elected to her state’s House of Representatives.

Sue was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communications in 1981. In 2006 she earned her teaching credential from Buena Vista University, and in 2008 she completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Collaborative Teaching and Learning at Graceland University. She also holds certifications in Reading, Teacher Librarianship, and Computer Science.

Once she earned her degrees, Sue became a teacher in Iowa’s Marshalltown Community School District. That was in 1999. She worked as a kindergarten teacher for 12 years at Woodbury Elementary, and she also worked at Rogers Elementary. In addition to her work in the classroom, Sue has worked as a Teacher Librarian at the elementary level. Currently, she teaches as a Title 1 Reading Specialist. Her career as an educator has spanned a total of 24 years.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Sue works as a teacher leader and helps train new teachers. She also serves on the Marshalltown Youth Foundation, which helps fund music, arts and sports programs for children, The Marshalltown Read by Third Campaign, a program which supports educational success for all students. In addition, she is an active member and leader of the Marshalltown Education Association and the Iowa State Education Association. She has also participated in the Iowa Teacher Leadership Compensation Grant in the role of a Curriculum and Professional Development Leader.

Sue launched her career in politics in 2017 when she was elected to a seat on the Marshalltown City Council representing the First Ward. She served in that role for three years. On Nov. 4, 2020, Sue was elected on the Democratic ticket to serve in the Iowa House of Representatives. Since January, 2021, she represents the 71st District there. She serves on the Committees for Administration and Rules; Education; Labor; and Veterans Affairs. Her term there will last until 2023.

DC educator Sheri Frierson-Chenier garners PAEMST

Posted on by

Washington DC educator Sheri Frierson-Chenier has garnered a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Photo Credit: Sheri Frierson-Chenier

It is always a pleasure to share news about a fellow educator who has earned accolades for their work in the profession. Today I can share that Washington DC teacher Sheri Frierson-Chenier has garnered a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Sheri, who is originally from Los Angeles, California, once revealed that becoming a teacher was her childhood dream. Her career as an educator has spanned 15 years. She inaugurated her work in the classroom at Glenn Dale Elementary School in Glenn Dale, Maryland, where she taught kindergarten for three years. She has also taught third grade. Currently she teaches fifth grade and works as a STEM Coordinator at Kimball Elementary School in Washington, DC, where she had been employed for the past 12 years. There she also advises student programs such as the Robotics Club, the Science Fair, the STEM Career Fair, and the STEM Expo.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Sheri chairs the school’s Personnel Committee, the Local School Advisory Team, and the Academic Leadership team. And as if all that were not enough, she was a Fellow of DC Teaching is Central to Learning (TCTL), a program which enabled her to engage  in professional development to understand the role of education policies and programs designed to improve teaching and learning.

Sheri’s PAEMST is not the only recognition she has earned. In 2018, she was a finalist for DC Public Schools Teacher of the Year, and in 2020, she was a finalist for the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education Teacher of the Year.

Sheri earned her Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in Human Development in 2006, and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education in 2012, both from Howard University.

Elem teacher Carri Hicks serves in the Oklahoma State Senate

Posted on by

Former elementary school teacher Carri Hicks now serves in the Oklahoma State Senate. Photo credit: The Oklahoman

Many excellent educators also earn acclaim in the political arena. One of these is Carri Hicks, an elementary school teacher who currently serves in the Oklahoma State Senate.

Carri earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Political Science from Oklahoma City University (OCU). She earned a Master’s degree in Leadership Management and a second Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, both from Capella University.

Once she earned her degrees in 2011, Carri accepted a position as an elementary school teacher in the Putnam City School District. After three years of teaching kindergarten at Tulakes Elementary, she transferred to the Deer Creek School District, where she taught first grade for two years and fourth grade math. She then taught science for two years at Grove Valley Elementary. During these years, Carri also served as a site representative for the Oklahoma Education Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union.

Outside of the classroom, Carri has worked as an adjunct professor at OCU, where she instructed courses in the College of Education. She has also earned recognition for her work as an educator. In the summer of 2019, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame designated her as a Fellow of the Gaylord McCasland Education. Her work with that organization was to reshape the museum experience for young learners. She has also been named the CEO of Rainbow Fleet, a nonprofit located in Oklahoma City that supports early childhood education and quality child care.

In November, 2018, Carri was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent Oklahoma’s 40th District. There she serves on the Committees for Education; Health & Human Services; Transportation; and Finance. Her focus in the legislature has been to restore decades of budget cuts to public education, improve access to health care, and address the state’s massive labor shortage.

Former elem teacher Mary C. Willis rose to rank of Brigadier General in US Army

Posted on by

Former elementary school teacher Mary C. Willis joined the US Army and, in a career that spanned 30 years, rose through the ranks to Brigadier General. Photo Credit: Public Domain

It is not unusual for a fine educator to excel in fields outside of the classroom. One who did was Mary C. Willis, an elementary school teacher who became Brigadier General in the United States Army.

Mary was born on Jan. 31, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland. Following her graduation from Wicomico High School in Salisbury, Maryland, she enrolled at St. Mary’s Seminary College, where she studied for two years, graduating in 1959. Next Mary attended Salisbury State Teachers’ College, now known as Salisbury University, where she earned her degree in 1962. Later she earned a Master’s degree from Shippensburg University, a public university located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

Once she earned her degrees, Mary accepted a position as a second grade teacher at North Salisbury Elementary School in the Wicomico County Public School System. She worked there for one year.

In 1963, Mary entered the US Army, which inaugurated a career in the military that spanned 30 years. During her years of service, Mary served in Virginia, Korea, Illinois, Missouri, Alabama, and Germany. Her final post was at the Pentagon, where she worked with White House Chief of Staff Colin Powell. Ultimately, the former teacher rose through the ranks to the position of Brigadier General.

During this career, Mary became the first female Army officer administrator at the US Military Academy at West Point. While there, she successfully integrated women cadets into the school in 1976, and also served as a vocal advocate for the integration and fair treatment of women at all ranks and levels of the US Army.

For her military service, Mary earned many accolades. She earned three Army Commendation Medals, five Meritorious Service Medals, three Overseas Service Ribbons, an Army Service Ribbon, a Far East Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, and the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

Following her retirement in 1993, Mary worked for two years with the National Guard in Washington, DC, and then in 1995, she accepted a position at Salisbury University, where she was awarded an honorary PH.D. Today, at age 82, Mary is still going strong.