Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

Native American educator and Chalkboard Champion Minerva Allen of Montana

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Native American educator Minerva Crantz Allen worked in Early Childhood Education  near her childhood home on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Lodge Pole, Montana. Photo credit: Legacy.com

Throughout our country’s history, there have been notable Native American educators who have worked with young people in our schools. One of these was Minerva Crantz Allen, a member of the Assiniboine tribe from Montana.

Minerva, whose Native name was Sunk’ Pa (Chipmunk), was born on April 24, 1934, in Big Warm, located in north central Montana. Her father, Ernest Crantz Sr., was of French Chipewyan descent, and her mother, Felistis Chopwood, was born in the Gros Ventre sect of the Assiniboine tribe.

As a young child, Minerva grew up on the Fort Belknap Reservation in a traditional lodge. Montana winters were bitter cold, but the lodge was insulated with pine branches and animal hides, and a fire pit in the center of the structure kept everyone warm. The elders entertained the children through storytelling, passing down traditions and tales that Minerva would pass down to her own children and grandchildren through her poetry.

When she was only six years old, Minerva began her education, learning to speak English from missionaries. After elementary school, Minerva enrolled at Flandreau Indian High School in South Dakota. Next, she studied at Northern Montana College (now known as Montana State University, Northern), although she earned her Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University. Later she completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Counseling from MSU, Northern. In addition, she earned a Master’s degree in Teaching with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Weber State College in Ogden, Utah.

Once she earned her degrees, Minerva inaugurated her career as an educator in the Hays Lodge Pole School District. Her work there spanned a total of 20 years. She worked primarily in the area of Early Childhood Education, and she was also extensively involved with teacher training.

In addition to her responsibilities as an educator, Minerva served on the Board of Directors at Aaniiih Nakoda College, the Bilingual Director and Federal Programs Director for Hays Lodge Pole Schools, and the President of the Montana Bilingual Education Association.

Minerva was also a celebrated author. She published of several books of poetry, including Vanishing Braves (1987), Spirits Rest (1981), Inktomi and the Ducks (1986), Stories by Our Elders: The Fort Belknap People (1983), and Nakoda Sky People (2012).

Sadly, this talented and accomplished educator passed away on May 24, 2024. She was 90 years old.

HI teacher Kristy Inamasu garners prestigious 2024-2025 Milken Educator Award

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Kristy Inamasu, a kindergarten teacher from Honolulu, Hawaii, has garnered a prestigious 2024-2025 Milken Educator Award.  Photo credit: Maui Now

Congratulations to Kristy Inamasu, a public school elementary school teacher from Honolulu, Hawaii. She has garnered a prestigious 2024-2025 Milken Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation.

Kristy teaches kindergarten at Kalihi Uka Elementary School. She began working at the school as a part-time teacher. Since then, she has served as the campus Primary School Adjustment Program Coordinator, a member of the Instructional Leadership Team, and a participant of the School Community Council. She has also provided ESL (English as a Second Language) student support, and taught kindergarten and first grade full-time. She also serves the school’s Head Volleyball Coach.

Kristy says she was enthusiastic about working with children at a young age, when she enjoyed taking care of the younger children at family gatherings. Teaching kindergarten is “extremely important,” she declares. “This might be the first experience of school for students,” she remarks. “It’s so important to get students excited about learning to fuel their curiosity…to interact among themselves,” she concludes.

In her classroom, she plans lessons that emphasize collaborative learning. Her strategies have resulted in an increase in Kalihi Uka’s scores in reading by 8 points and math scores by 12 points from the previous school year.

Kristy earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2012 and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education in 2014, both from Chaminade University, a private university located in Honolulu.

The Milken Educator Awards have been described by Teacher Magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching.” In addition to the $25,000 cash prize and public recognition, the award includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 2,700 exemplary teachers, principals, and specialists from all over the country whose work strengthens best practices in education. To learn more, click on Milken Educator Awards.

 

 

Elem educator Heidi Cornell named Idaho’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary school teacher Heidi Cornell has been named Idaho’s 2025 State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: IDED News

There are many outstanding educators working in our nation’s schools. All of them are deserving of accolades, and every year some of them receive the recognition they deserve. This year, one of them is Heidi Cornell, an elementary teacher from Idaho. She has been named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

Heidi teaches third graders at Orchards Elementary School in Lewiston, Idaho. Her career in education spans 16 years. In her classroom, she develops curriculum that is student-center, collaboration, and hands-on learning experiences.

But her major emphasis is on relationships. “My mission is that you feel deeply loved when you are with me,” Heidi declared. “When I state I want you to feel deeply loved when you are with me, that includes the easy to love, the unlovable, and the ones who disagree with me,” she continued.

In addition to her third grade curriculum, Heidi serves as her school’s Professional Learning Community Lead, the PBIS Tier 1 facilitator, as a member of the Guiding Coalition team, and as a participant on the Crisis Assistance Support Team. And as if all that were not enough, she also mentors student teachers.

In addition to her selection as Idaho’s Teacher of the Year, Heidi was recognized as the Martha Baskin Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2020 and the Best of Inland Northwest Elementary Teacher finalist in 2024.

Heidi earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Nyack College in Nyack, New York. She earned her Master’s degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Innovation from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. 

The Idaho Teacher of the Year program, in partnership with CapEd Credit Union, honors the state’s most outstanding teachers by selecting an educator to serve as spokesperson and representative for Idaho at a variety of local and national events. Heidi was selected from 40 applicants from all over the state. In addition to being Idaho’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year, Heidi received a commemorative plaque and a check for $10,000.

Read more about Heidi Cornell at this link to a press release by the Idaho State Department of Education.


 

OK music teacher Leah McDonald garners Medal for Excellence

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Oklahoma music educator Leah is one of five outstanding teachers who has garnered a 2025 Medal for Excellence from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. McDonald Photo credit:Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence

There are many exceptional teachers working with young people in our nation’s public schools, and I am always pleased to shine a spotlight on one of them. Today I shine a light on Leah McDonald, an elementary school music teacher from Oklahoma. She is one of five outstanding teachers who has garnered a 2025 Medal for Excellence from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence.

Leah teaches music to 750 K-5 students at Heritage Elementary at Edmond Public Schools in Oklahoma City. In her classroom, every one of her third, fourth, and fifth grade students plays the ukulele, including those with limited fine motor skills. Those students are given adaptive instruments and add-on devices with which to make music.

This unique classroom approach is appreciated by her peers. “Leah uniquely connects lessons to each grade level’s regular classroom Oklahoma Academic Standards,” remarks Cathey Bugg, the former Principal of Heritage Elementary. “Literacy is embedded in every lesson. Students read scores and lyrics and interact with children’s literature,” says Bugg.

Leah’s career as an educator spans 27 years, and 26 of them have been spent in Edmond, the city where she grew up. She says she decided to be a music teacher when she was only eight years old. “I became a teacher because of my love and passion for music,” she declares. “I teach music each day because I love children and making music with them,” she continues.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Leah has served in leadership positions in her school and in the state. She has served as an elementary music district facilitator, guiding and mentoring other music Edmond educators. She also chairs her school’s committee for the Great Expectations, a professional development program. In addition, she directs the Edmond Youth Chorus and also completed a stint as the President of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association from 2021-2023.

Her honor from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence is not the only recognition Leah has earned. In 2004 she was named Teacher of the Year by Edmond Public Schools, and the same year she became a finalist for her state’s Teacher of the Year.

Leah earned both her Bachelor’s degree and her Master’s degree from Oklahoma State University.

Maine teacher Becky Hallowell named her state’s Teacher of the Year

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Wiscasset Elementary school teacher Becky Hallowell holds her 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year award in an outdoor classroom on the shore of the Sheepscot River, which runs right in front of her school. Photo credit: The Lincoln County News

I always enjoy sharing the story of an exceptional educator who has earned recognition for her work in one of our nation’s public schools. One such educator is Becky Hallowell, an elementary school teacher from Maine. She has been named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

The honored educator says she always knew she would become a teacher. “I wanted to be the biggest cheerleader for kids,” she reveals. “I have always been in awe of teachers. They were the people who made me smile and love school. They saw glimmers of my strengths and they encouraged me to chase after my interests,” she concludes.

To achieve her goal of becoming a teacher, Becky earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maine at Farmington in 1994. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Maine in 2011. Her career as an educator spans 30 years.

Becky teaches fourth graders at Wiscasset Elementary School in Wiscasset, Maine. In planning her curriculum, she says she is a huge advocate of project-based outdoor learning. To support this passion, in 2021 Becky worked with fellow teacher Kaden Pendleton to create an outdoor classroom on the banks of the Sheepscot River, which runs in front of the school. She called this classroom the Outdoor Wonderful Learning Space, or OWLS for short. There her second graders cleared the area of invasive species, and then conducted activities such as measuring leaves and diagraming plants.

“I’ve done my research, and the research is telling us that when kids are outside moving around, their ability to focus—even when they go back inside—improves for at least half an hour after they’ve had that outdoor time,” Becky asserts. “It’s something they can touch, it’s where kids tell me they feel safest, and they’re more accessible to learning,” she concludes.

Well done, Becky.

To read more about Becky Hallowell, click on this link to an interview with her published by the Maine Dept. of Education.