In US history, there are many examples of hardworking educators who continue to work towards improving the lives others, even after retirement. One of these is activist Laura E. Settle, the founder and first president of the California Retired Teachers Association.

Laura retired as a teacher from the Pasadena School District in Pasadena, California, while the country was struggling through the Great Depression. At that time, a retired schoolteacher received just $500 a year in pension benefits. To rectify this, a small group of teachers led by Laura Settle banded together to fight for better retirement incomes for their colleagues who were living in poverty after a lifetime of teaching.

In 1927, Laura contacted Los Angeles politicians with the goal of forming a local retired teachers’ group. Interested individuals held their first meeting  in Sycamore Grove Park. Laura was elected president, and she immediately launched into her work to expand the organization in other California communities. For years, she drove the dusty highways all over the state to help organize teachers in their common cause. All were welcome to join for the annual dues of $1.

After several years, CalRTA made its first major breakthrough in 1934, when pensions were finally boosted, and by 1943, Laura’s work had resulted in the formation of 17 divisions throughout California. Today, CalRTA is one of the nation’s largest retired teacher organizations with more than 43,000 members in 86 local divisions throughout the state.

In all, Laura served 16 years as the president of CalRTA, from 1929 to 1945. This amazing educator passed away on May 11, 1951. To honor her, a scholarship has been established in her name, and is given to deserving high school students who have declared an intention to go into the teaching profession.

Laura E. Settle: All teachers, whether currently retired or still in the classroom, owe her a great debt.

Elementary teacher Lori Richardson-Morphew of Oklahoma City is active in her state’s Delta Kappa Gamma Society, International (DKG) organization. Photo Credit DKG

Many dedicated educators make meaningful contributions not only to the lives of their students, but also to the careers of their colleagues and to the members of their communities. One of these is Lori Richardson-Morphew, a hardworking teacher from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She leads her state’s Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) organization.

Lori currently teaches at Van Buren Elementary School in the Oklahoma City Public School system. She has spent the last two years at the school, but in all, her career as an educator has spanned more than 25 years.

In her classroom, Lori utilizes literature sets for teaching reading. Typically, her class reads more than 15 books over the course of a school year. For her work in the classroom, Lori has earned many honors. She garnered a Devon Energy STEM Teacher of the Match from the Oklahoma City Energy FC in 2017.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Lori is active in Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG), an International Society organized to provide professional support for women educators. She currently serves as the State President for the Oklahoma state branch of the organization, and she has previously served her branch as the First Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. Under her leadership, the organization has participated in many community service programs, including the Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation, the Schools for Africa Project, and the Susan G. Komen More than Pink Walk.

Lori is originally from Garnett, Kansas, She graduated from Garnett High School in 1982. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, in 1991.

Elementary school teacher Qorsho Hassan of Minnesota has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Sahan Journal.

Teachers typically work very hard to create an atmosphere of inclusion in their classrooms. One teacher who has been recognized for doing this is Qorsho Hassan, an elementary school teacher from Minnesota. She has just been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.

Qorsho, a Somali American educator, currently teaches fourth grade at Echo Park School in Burnsville, Minnesota. Before that, she was an educator in Ohio and taught in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is her ninth year in the classroom.

The honored educator earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from The Ohio State University. She has completed additional course work in Early Childhood Education from Ashland University, located in Ashland, Ohio. In addition, Qorsho is a Fulbright scholar.

Widely-respected, Qorsho is known for being deeply committed to cultivating a community of global citizens in her classroom. She has been recognized for working diligently to create a classroom filled with high expectations, representation, and love. “She has a way of connecting with kids and honoring where they’re at and where they’re from and making sure that they know they’re valued for who they are, not what they’re going to be,” remarked colleague Laurel Mirs. “She grows with them.”

Through Qorsho’s research on the most relevant teaching methods, her reflection on current practices, and her carefully constructed lesson plans, the honored educator provides instruction that is engaging, culturally reflective, and meaningful. She maintains and relies on authentic relationships with her students and parents to teach effectively. Additionally, Qorsho knows how important it is for students to have teachers of color, and she has become a strong voice for educators of color throughout the state of Minnesota.

To learn more about Qorsho Hassan, see this article and video published by KARE-11.com.

Former elementary school teacher Kara Laricks has enjoyed acclaim as a fashion designer. Photo credit: Kara Laricks

Many talented educators have earned acclaim in fields other than education. One outstanding example of this is Kara Laricks, a former fourth grade elementary schoolteacher who is also an acclaimed fashion designer.

Kara hails originally from Overland Park, Kansas. She earned her Bachelor’s degree Elementary Education and Teaching from the University of Kansas in 1995. In 2000, she completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the same institution.

Once she completed her education, Kara taught fourth grade for ten years. “I love teaching,” she once expressed in an interview for Curve Magazine. “I love that career.” The talented teacher says she always told her students to be true to themselves. Finally, she decided to take own advice and pursue her dream of a career in fashion.

But teaching is not her only passion. Kara once said that she has loved design ever since she was a child. To further that interest, she enrolled at the Academy of Art University on a scholarship from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). She earned her Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design there in 2008. That year, the artistic academic was selected as one of nine MFA students to present their senior collection at New York Fashion Week in Fall, 2008.

In 2012, at the age of 38, Kara became a contestant on the first season of the reality show Fashion Star, where her designs garnered her the first place trophy. Rolling Stone Magazine credited the show with embracing the avant garde designer and commended the buyers, especially Macy’s, for thinking outside the box and selecting Kara. The former teacher was awarded a grand prize of $6 million of purchases by Macy’s, H&M, and Saks Fifth Avenue.