Tag Archives: History Teachers

Christian Wright-Sa’alea of American Samoa earns territory’s 2022 Teacher of the Year award

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High school social studies teacher Christian Wright-Sa’alea of American Samoa earns her territory’s 2022 Teacher of the Year award. Photo Credit: American Samoa Department of Education

I always enjoy sharing stories about outstanding educators who have earned honors for their work in the classroom. One of these is Christian Wright-Sa’alea, a high school Social Studies teacher from American Samoa. She has been named her territory’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.

Christian teaches history to freshmen, juniors, and seniors at Tafuna High School in Tafuna in the Western District.

Since 2016, Christian’s students have excelled in the National History Day (NHD) competition, earning top rankings locally and Outstanding Entry recognitions nationally. She was named a teacher representative at the 2018 NHD competition in Maryland, and a judge at the Louisiana State NHD competition in 2020. In addition, she was one of two representatives from American Samoa who were nominated for the MacGregor NHD History Teacher of the Year Award in 2020.

And these are not her only accomplishments. In 2018, Christian became a member of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the leading organization dedicated to K-12 education in American history. The organization recognized Christian their US Territories History Teacher of the Year in 2020.

Tafuna High School Principal Tutuila Togilau says he is not surprised that Christian has been selected for Teacher of the Year honors. “This is a reflection of Christian’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to lifelong learning,” asserts Togilau. “Christian is very creative, artistic, and highly respected by her colleagues,” the principal continued.

As for Christian, she credits her former teachers for her success in the classroom. “To all my former teachers, I am your product,” she declares. “I’m here because of you and I will continue that same cycle for my kids as well, with the hopes that in the future, they too will inspire others and become great citizens of tomorrow,” she concludes.

Teacher Carlton Jenkins previously served in US Army

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Carlton Jenkins, a sixth-grade history teacher from Woodbridge, Virginia, served as a helicopter pilot in the US Army prior to becoming an educator. Photo credit: US Army Troops to Teachers.

Many fine educators have also served their country in the military. One of these is Carlton Jenkins, a sixth-grade history teacher from Woodbridge, Virginia, who previously served in the United States Army.

While in the military, Carlton flew a helicopter and worked as a helicopter pilot instructor. “It was there that I gained a passion for teaching and helping others to achieve their goals,” claims Carlton. “I have also had the opportunity to travel extensively and live in other countries, which has helped me grow as a person and learn more about the world around us,” he says. After he retired from the military, Carlton cast his eyes about for another way to serve his country. He found it in the classroom.

Since 2013, Carlton has taught sixth-grade American history at Lake Ridge Middle School in Woodbridge, Virginia. It was the Troops to Teachers program that helped him make the transition from uniformed pilot to grade school history teacher. “Troops to Teachers … gave me the opportunity to use the leadership skills, knowledge, and experience I learned and developed in the Army to help me have a positive effect on today’s students,” Jenkins says. “For those seeking a second career in education as a teacher, the Troops to Teachers program will help get you there,” he advises.

Carlton says his success as a teacher depends first on him setting a framework of rules and expectations. “A teacher must establish his or her expectations with rules,” he asserts. “I have only three rules: respect one another, follow the Golden Rule, and only one person speaks at a time in class,” he reveals.

To read more about Carlton, see this story published by the US Army.

California’s Carol Liu: Former educator and politician

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California’s Carol Liu, a former middle school and high school history teacher, also earned success in the political arena. Photo credit: California Competes.

Many times professional educators who have left the classroom go on to earn success in the political arena. One of these is California’s Carol Liu, a former teacher who has also served as a lawmaker.

Carol was born on Sept. 12, 1941, in Berkeley, California. Her father was an immigrant from China, and her mother was a fourth generation Californian. As a young woman, Carol attended San Jose State College, where she earned her Bachelors’ degree in 1963. She earned an Administrative Credential from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1982.

After she earned her teaching degree, Carol taught history at the junior high and senior high school level in the Richmond Unified School District. Her career as an educator spanned from 1964 to 1978. From 1975 to 19778, she also served as the Executor Director of the Richmond Federation of Teachers.

Once she left the teaching profession, Carol earned success in the political arena. First, she was elected to the City Council of La Canada Flintridge, a small city near Pasadena. She served there from 1992 to 2000. During these years, she served two terms as the city’s mayor. Next, she was elected on the Democratic ticket to the California Sate Assembly, where she represented the 44th District from 2000 to 2006. In the Assembly, Carol served on the Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education and on the National Commission on Accountability in Higher Education.

Last, Carol was elected to the California State Senate, where she represented the 25th District from 2008 to 2016. As a Senator, Carol served on the Legislative Advisory Committee of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. She chaired several committees and caucuses during her tenure, including the Assembly Higher Education Committee, the Assembly Select Committee on Adult Education, and the Senate Education Committee.

All her life, Carol has been a strong proponent of increasing access to higher education, as well as to career and technical education. Among her most important legislative work was SB 1143, which created the task force that led to the California Community College Student Success Act. Win addition, she was responsible for the enactment of SB 110, the Crime Victims with Disabilities Act of 2010. The bill, which assures that abuse and neglect of the elderly and people with disabilities are prosecuted as crimes, was passed unanimously by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Kudos to Carol Liu: a true Chalkboard Champion.

Covid claims life of retired Wyoming teacher George Geyer

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Teacher George Geyer succumbed to Covid-19 on August 20, 2021. Before his retirement, he taught History at Burrell High School in Burrell, Pennsylvania. Photo credit: Cowboy State Daily.

Sadly, educators continue to contract Covid-19. Retired teacher George Geyer of Wyoming is one of the most recent to succumb to the disease. He passed away on August 20, 1921. He was 81 years old.

The fallen teacher was born on June 7, 1940, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a youngster, George attended Springdale High School. After his graduation, he earned his degree from Grove City College, where he graduated in 1964. Grove City College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania. The school was founded in 1876 as a normal school to train teachers. As an athlete, George played football for both his high school and his college teams.

Until his retirement from the teaching profession in 1995, George taught history at Burrell High School, located in Burrell, Pennsylvania. He also served as his school’s football coach there.

Upon retirement, George relocated to Livingston, Montana, where he continued to coach football. For the past six years, he also worked in the Wyoming State Legislature in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Most recently, he worked as a doorman, a post he held since 2017. In that role, the former educator was responsible for both security and decorum at the Capitol. Positions like George’s are not high-paying and are often staffed by retirees. “They’re basically volunteers,” remarked Rep. Steve Harshman (R-Casper), who said he talked to Geyer every morning during the session.

As if all these responsibilities were not enough, George was active with Cheyenne Frontier Days, volunteering on the ticket committee and the parade committee, where he organized the youth program for the rodeo. The youth program was designed to recruit students aged 13 to 18 years of age to take the place of older volunteers who were retiring from rodeo duties. Under his watch, George was able to grow the program to 45 young volunteers. “The students are really crushed,” observed Rep. Harding. “The youth just absolutely adored him.”

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this story published by the Casper Star Tribune.

Chet Blalock: Teacher, veteran, and Montana State Senator

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Many talented educators have also made a name for themselves in the political arena. Such is the case for Chester Merle Blalock, better known as Chet Blaylock, a history teacher, veteran, and state senator from Montana.

Chet was born on Novembr 13, 1924, in Joliet, Montana. He served his country well as a member of the United States Navy during World War II. He earned four medals for his service in the South Pacific.

After the war, this heroic veteran earned his Bachelor’s degree in History in 1951 and his Master’s degree in Education in 1957, both from the University of Montana. He then worked as a teacher and school administrator for over 30 years in both Laurel and Chinook, Montana. He retired from the teaching profession in 1991.

During his long career as an educator, Chet served as a delegate to the Montana State Constitutional Convention in 1972, and as a member of the Montana State Senate from Laurel, Montana. He believed that every Montana child was entitled to a free, quality education, a livable environment, a good job, and affordable health care. He a spent a lifetime pursuing that objective.

In 1996, Chet became the nominee for governor of Montana. He ran on the Democratic ticket against incumbent Marc Racicot.  Sadly, on October 23, 1996, on his way to a debate with his opponent less than two weeks before the election, the former educator passed away of a heart attack at Deer Lodge, Montana. He was 71 years old. Chet Blalock was cremated and his ashes interred at Rockvale Cemetery in Rockvale, Montana. In his memory, a scholarship in the amount of $600 has been established to be awarded to a full-time student at Montana State University at Billings.