Tag Archives: Social Studies Teachers

Michigan’s Laura Osborn: Teacher, campaigner for school reform, and suffragist

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Laura Osborn was a teacher, campaigner for school reform, and suffragist from Detroit, Michigan. Photo Credit: Detroit Historical Society

Many fine educators have also made significant contributions to their community. One of these was Laura Osborn, a teacher, campaigner for school reform, and suffragist from Detroit, Michigan.

Laura was born in 1866 in Huntington, Indiana, and raised there. As a young woman, she taught mathematics and civics in public schools in Huntington until her marriage in 1891. Later, she served many years as a member of the school board for Detroit Public Schools during the early decades of the 20th century.

Laura was first elected to the school board in 1917, the first woman elected to a citywide office in Detroit. She served on that body until 1955. For many of those years she was the school board’s president. In all, her service on the school board spanned 38 years. During her tenure, Laura worked tirelessly for school board reform, advocating specifically for non-partisan school boards within her state.

Laura was responsible, in part or in whole, for innovations which are now considered standard practice, including school lunch rooms supervised by trained dietitians, special instruction for handicapped children, health education, classes in manual and domestic arts, and courses for gifted and talented students. She devised better business methods for school administrators and insisted upon fire-proof school buildings as well as classes for children in custody at the Juvenile Detention Home. In fact, because of Laura’s innovations, Detroit schools became the model for best practices all over the state.

In addition to her work in the public schools, Laura is also credited with having mobilized women into the causes of women’s suffrage and temperance.

Sadly, Laura Osborn passed away in 1955. She was 89 years old. After her passing, Detroit name their newly-built Osborn High School in her honor. In 1995, this Chalkboard Champion was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.

 

NH teacher Sara Casassa named her state’s Teacher of the Year

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Middle school teacher Sara Casassa has been named the 2022 New Hampshire State Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: Barnard School

It is always a pleasure to share stories about talented educators who have earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of these is Sara Casassa, a middle school teacher from New Hampshire. Sara has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.

Sara’s career as an educator spans more than three decades. Since 2009, she has taught Language Arts and Social Studies courses to students in grades 6 through 8 at Barnard School in South Hampton. She also serves as the cross county coach and the yearbook advisor. As if all this were not enough, the indefatigable educator has also worked as a technology integrator and as her school’s webmaster. She has presented inservice on technology and literacy at a variety of workshops and conferences.

It was due to her innovative work with technology that Sara became the first choice for New Hampshire’s top teacher honors, says South Hampton School Board Chair Jim Kime. He praised the middle school English teacher for “leveraging technology,” even before Covid-19 forced widespread school closures. Kime noted that before the pandemic, Sara created a virtual classroom for a student who was forced to leave school for three to four weeks because of an illness. The virtual classroom she created became the prototype once COVID hit, and her expertise was invaluable to both the students and staff.

Despite this success, Sara insists that establishing and maintaining strong relationships are still at the heart of her teaching. “While teaching pedagogy has changed and needs of students and families are much different then they were 20 years ago, the importance of creating relationships, engaging in meaningful learning opportunities, and meeting students where they are has remained constant,” she declares.

Sara earned her Bachelor’s degree with a dual major in English and History and her Master’s degree in English, both from Boston College. She has also completed courses on her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in curriculum and instruction.

To read more about Sara Casassa, see this article published by the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Texas teacher Leora Uribe garners Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award

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Texas teacher Leora Uribe of San Antonio garnered an Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award in 2021. She is pictured here with one of her students. Photo Credit: Humanities Texas

I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Leora Uribe, a Social Studies teacher from San Antonio, Texas. She garnered an Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award in 2021.

Leora teaches sixth grade at Harlandale Middle School in San Antonio. In the eight years she has taught there, she has instructed courses in US History and Contemporary World Cultures.

Leora obviously shares a passion for her subject. “Social studies examine life and culture—the beauty, passion, and struggle that make us who we are and form the core of our communities,” she declares. “As a teacher of contemporary world cultures, I approach the curriculum with two primary goals for my students: connection and engagement.”

In addition to her work in the classroom, Leora serves her school as the campus coordinator and coach for the University Interscholastic League A+ Academics teams. Also, she is the founder and sponsor of the school’s PEACE Club (Positive Experiences in Art, Culture, and Environment).

This exceptional educator is well-respected on her campus. “Leora is a leader on our campus and in the world of humanities,” declares Harlandale Social Studies Department Chair Kellie George. “We are all truly richer in culture for knowing her.”

The Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award recognizes exemplary K-12 humanities teachers throughout the state of Texas. Each year, 12 teachers are selected to receive a $5,000 cash award and an additional $1,000 for their respective schools to purchase humanities-based instructional materials.

OK Social Studies teacher Kimberly Ann Henry also served as her state’s First Lady

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Former Social Studies teacher Kimberly Ann Henry served her state as the First Lady of Oklahoma from 2003 to 2011. Photo Credit: Norman Rotary Club

Many dedicated educators also make their mark in the political arena. One off these is Kimberly Ann Henry, a high school history teacher who formerly served as the First Lady of Oklahoma from 2003 to 2011.

Kimberly was born in Norman, Oklahoma. As a young girl, she attended Shawnee High School in Shawnee, Oklahoma. After her high school graduation, she attended the University of Oklahoma, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education in 1986.

Kimberly began her ten-year career as a classroom teacher by joining the staff of her alma mater, Shawnee High School, in 1993. There she taught economics, US Government, Advanced Placement American History, and Oklahoma History. Her talents as an outstanding educator were rewarded when, in 1999-2000, she was one of only five educators across America to receive the Close-Up Foundation’s Linda Myers Chozen Award for Teaching Excellence in Civic Education. In addition to her work as a classroom teacher, Kimberly has been a strong advocate on behalf of troubled youth through her support of the Thunderbird Youth Academy.

When her husband, Brad Henry, was elected Governor of Oklahoma in 2003,  Kimberly became the First Lady of Oklahoma. She served in this capacity from 2003 to 2011. While First Lady, Kimberly fought to make education a priority in Oklahoma, and has been particularly instrumental in pushing for increased early childhood educational opportunities in the state.  More recently, Kimberly launched the MyTakeOnHealth Video Challenge, a program which gave young people and students an opportunity to make video spots about health topics. For many years she was actively involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Kimberly also served on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum.  She also previously served on the Board of Directors for Science Museum Oklahoma, Leadership Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Also, Kimberly served as the Executive Director of the Sarkeys Foundation, a private, charitable foundation dedicated to providing support through gifts and grants to Oklahoma’s non-profit organizations.

For her work as an educator and as a politician, Kimberly has earned. many accolades. She was honored with the Bill Lowry Library Champion Award for her work in literacy in 2004. The same year by she was named one of the The Journal Record’s 50 Most Distinguished Women. For her tireless efforts on behalf of the people of her state, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2010, she was named the Outstanding Woman of the Year Award at the second annual Women’s Leadership Conference for Women in Public Service. The same year, she was honored by Oklahoma State University College of Education with their prestigious Vision Award.

To read more about Kimberly Ann Henry, see this article published by 405 Magazine.

US veteran, American hero, and teacher Carl Kimmons

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US veteran, American hero, and long-time Social Studies teacher Carl Kimmons. Photo Credit: United States Naval Undersea Museum

I always enjoy sharing stories about courageous servicemen who were also classroom teachers. One of these was Carl Kimmons, a Navy serviceman who was also a long-time public school teacher in Connecticut.

Carl was born on April 10, 1920, in Hamilton, Ohio, the great-grandson of a Mississippi slave and a slave owner. As an African American youngster, he was raised in poverty, racial discrimination, and segregation, from which he longed to escape.

In 1940, at the age of 20, Carl enlisted in the US Navy, during a period when opportunities for African American servicemen were limited. He inaugurated started his military career as a mess attendant, cook, and steward. Later he was assigned to the destroyer USS McFarland, where he completed administrative duties such as typing reports and updating the ship’s log. From 1942 to the end of the war, he served submarine duty on the USS Plunger, the USS Parche, and the USS Cobbler, where he saw action on no less than seven war patrols. For his bravery in battle, he earned a Navy Commendation Medal and a Presidential Unit Citation.

In 1961, Carl completed officer training school in Newport, Rhode Island. He then moved to Washington, DC, where he accepted a position in the US Hydrographic Office. His duties there included administration, security, and top secret control. He also served in these roles at the submarine base in New London, Connecticut. By the time he retired after 30 years of service, he had climbed to the rank of full lieutenant.

After his discharge from the military, Carl decided to settle in Connecticut. He went back to school, and at age 53, earned his Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in History from Connecticut College in 1973. He went on to earn his Master’s degree in History from Southern University of Connecticut.

After earning his degrees, Carl launched a new career as a Social Studies teacher at Waterford High School in Waterford, Connecticut. His career as an educator spanned 22 years. “I was a tough teacher, too, I guess because of my military background,” Carl once confessed. “In study halls I told them ‘Either study or fake it!’,” he said. “But many of my old students thank me now and say I really taught them how to study,” he concluded.

Carl Kimmons passed away on Aug. 4, 2016, in Waterford, Connecticut. He was 96 years old. He was interred in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1987, this American Hero and Chalkboard Champion was inducted into the Booker T. Washington Community Center’s Hall of Fame in Hamilton, Ohio. He is also pictured in an exhibit at the World War II Museum at Pearl Harbor.

To read more about Carl, see this feature article published on page 30 of the Connecticut College Magazine in 2011.