Tag Archives: Teacher Authors

Clarissa Allen of South Carolina: Educator and acclaimed novelist

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Clarissa Minnie Thompson Allen of South Carolina: Educator and acclaimed novelist.

Many fine educators have also earned acclaim in fields outside of the classroom. One of these is Clarissa Allen, a teacher who made a name for herself as an author.

Clarissa Minnie Thompson Allen was born October 1, 1859, in Columbia, South Carolina. She was the eldest of nine children born to prosperous African American parents. Her father was a justice of the peace and a state legislator. As a young girl, Clarissa attended Howard Junior High School and then South Carolina State Normal School. There she gained the education required to become a teacher.

As an educator, Clarissa worked first at the Howard School. She then accepted a position as the principal of Poplar Grove School in Abbeville, South Carolina. She next taught at Allen University, where she instructed courses in algebra, Latin, history, and geology. In 1886, Clarissa moved to Jefferson, Texas, where she became a public school teacher. Later she taught public school in Fort Worth. In every position, she emphasized the importance of education for women and for the African American community.

In addition to her responsibilities in the classroom, Clarissa wrote novels about wealthy African American families in the South. Her most acclaimed novel was Treading the Winepress, which had also been published under the title A Mountain of Misfortune. The book was published in installments in the Boston Advocate. The 41 stories which comprise the book feature a setting called Capitolia, which was based on her home town of Columbia. Clarissa also wrote novelettes for publications based in Texas and poetry that was published in newspapers for the African American community.

Sadly, Clarissa passed away on November 23, 1941. To read more about the literary works of this amazing educator, see this link at the Milner Library of the University of Illinois.

English educator Andee Reilly earns success as a novelist

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Andee Reilly, an instructor of composition at University of Hawaii and former high school  English teacher, has earned success as a novelist.

There are many examples of talented educators who have earned accolades in arenas outside of the classroom. One of these is Andee Reilly, an instructor of English who has earned success as a novelist.

Andee was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Following her graduation from Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights, California, in 1988, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at California State University, Northridge. She earned a Master’s degree in English with a Creative Writing Option from California State University, Los Angeles, in 1999. In 2010, she completed the requirements for a second Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside, located in Riverside, California.

Educator and author Andee Reilly

After earning her teaching credential, Andee inaugurated her career as an educator as an English teacher at Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, California. Her secret to teaching? “Be patient, be kind, and know what you’re talking about!” Andee advises.

After a few years at the high school level, Andee was hired to teach a course at Moorpark College. She taught additional courses at Pierce College and the College of the Canyons, until securing a position at California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI). While at SCUCI, Andee garnered a Maximus Award for outstanding teaching.

“I love being able to show my students that effective writing can be learned,” Andee confesses. “Most of us aren’t born with some mystical ability to string sentences together in an inspiring and exciting way on our first try. It’s a skill that takes hard work, patience, and perseverance,” she declares.

When Andee relocated to Hawaii, she accepted a position at the University of Hawaii, Maui College, where she currently teaches composition. “Many of my students are fresh from high school,” reveals Andee. “I constantly try to remind myself that the transition to college can be a little scary for some.,” she continues. “I do my best to be patient and understanding of their needs,” she concludes.

In addition to her classroom successes, the honored educator also enjoys success as a published novelist. Andee says that ever since she was a teenager, she has been a fan of the rock group the Rolling Stones, and their music has long served as an inspiration to her writing. In 2015, Andee published her first novel, Satisfaction. This entertaining book tells the story of Ginny Martin, a recent divorcee, who embarks on a road trip to attend every concert on the Rolling Stones’ North American tour. Along the way, Ginny learns more about herself than she expected.

You can find Andee’s book on amazon.com by clicking this link: Satisfaction. To visit her website, click www.andeereilly.com.

Sharon Mills Draper: Former English teacher and award-winning author

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Sharon Mills Draper: Former high school English teacher and award-winning author.

I love to share stories about talented educators who have made a name for themselves as an author. One of these is Sharon Mills Draper, a former high school English teacher who has also won awards as an author of books for children and adolescents.

Sharon was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on Aug. 21, 1948, the oldest of the three children of Victor and Catherine Mills. Her father was a hotel maitre d’ and her mother worked in the advertising department of a local newspaper. As a child, Sharon loved to play the piano and to read. By the time she was 11 years old, she had read every children’s book in her local library. The librarian then gave her a special library card that she could use to check out books from the adult section.

When she grew up, Sharon earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from Pepperdine University and her Master’s degree from Miami University of Ohio. Once she completed her education, she inaugurated her teaching career in Cincinnati public schools. As a teacher, she earned fame among her students for a challenging research paper she assigned to her seniors. They dubbed the assignment the “Draper Paper.”

Sharon’s career as an author began in 1990 when she was challenged by one of her ninth grade student to “write something.” She submitted a short story entitled “One Small Torch” to a writing contest sponsored by Ebony Magazine. The magazine published her story and awarded her $1,000. She even earned praise from Roots author Alex Haley! In 2000, after a career as an educator that spanned 25 years, Sharon retired to spend more time on her writing.

For her work as an educator and as an author, Sharon has earned many accolades. She was named the National Teacher of the Year in 1997. The same year, the Ohio Department of Education named her an Ohio Pioneer in Education, and she garnered a National Educator Award from the Milken Foundation. She also won the Career Woman of Achievement, the Dean’s Award from Howard University School of Education, the Pepperdine University Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Marva Collins Education Excellence Award, and the Governor’s Educational Leadership Award. In addition, Sharon earned the Coretta Scott King Award for books about youngsters and adolescents. She is best known for her Hazelwood and Jericho series.

To learn more about the work of Sharon Mills Draper, see her bio info at Simon & Schuster.

Teacher and author Kimarlee Nguyen of NYC succumbs to coronavirus

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High school English teacher and emerging author Kimarlee Nguyen of New York City succumbed to the coronavirus on April 5, 2020.

Sadly, many New York City educators have succumbed to the coronavirus. One of these is Kimarlee Nguyen, a high school teacher at Brooklyn Latin School. Kimarlee passed away on April 5, 2020. She was only 33 years old.

Kimarlee was born and raised in Revere, Massachusetts, to parents who survived the Khmer Rouge. After graduation from high school, she enrolled at Vassar College, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English. She recently earned her Master’s degree in Fine Arts from Long Island University, Brooklyn.

Kimarlee taught English at the Boston Latin School since 2014, and she was beloved by her students. “She was a role model, an influence, and a source of hope,” asserts student Sulagna Sarkar. “I remember once walking in when visiting her. She began to ask everything from how was the family, to how school was. It showed not only did she listen when we would go to her, but she cared,” the student continued. “She was everything for a person that was struggling in our school. She was understanding and loving. She loved us all like her own children and she was loved, even if she didn’t know it, by ten times as many people because that’s just who she was,” Sulagna concluded.

In addition to being a beloved teacher, Kimarlee was also a rising star as an author. Her work has been published in Drunken Boat, Hyphen, and Cha: An Asian Literary Journal. “She was such a fierce defender for the right for marginalized people to have a voice, particularly southeast Asians,” expressed fellow author Cherry Lou Sy. “She was a champion for that cause.” Kimarlee was a recipient of the Teacher and Librarian Scholarship from the Key West Literary Seminar in 2017. She was named a 2018 Emerging Writer Fellow by The Center for Fiction. The young teacher was one of nine chosen from over 500 applicants. Each writer selected garnered a grant of $5,000, the opportunity to work on a manuscript with a distinguished editor, and the chance to read at public events at The Center.

To read more about this amazing educator, see this memorial at Kundiman.

William Taylor Adams: Teacher, author, and Massachusetts politician

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William Taylor Adams: Teacher, author, and Massachusetts politician

It is not unusual for talented educators to make a mark in other professions. This is true of William Taylor Adams. He was a dedicated teacher who was also a celebrated author and successful politician.

William was born on July 30, 1822, in Medway Massachusetts. As a child, he attended schools in Boston and West Roxbury. He also completed a year at “Able Whitney’s private academy” after he completed his high school education. During these years, William was described as an excellent student.

As a young man, he inaugurated his career as an educator in 1843 at the Lower Road School in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He was highly thought of there. After three years, he left the classroom to work in the family business, the Adams House Hotel in Boston. But by in 1848, William missed teaching so much that he returned to the classroom. That’s when he accepted a teaching position at the Boylston School in Boston. By 1860, he was named the headmaster of the school. When the Bowditch School was founded, William taught there as well. In all, William’s career as an educator spanned 20 years.

When he was 28 years old, William published his first book It was a volume for juvenile readers, released under the pseudonym Warren T. Ashton. The book, published in 1853, was entitled Hatchie, the Guardian Slave. The following year, he produced the first in a series of books dubbed the Boat Club Series, which was an instant hit. He is probably best known, though, for his books in the Blue and Gray Series. These books featured settings in the Civil War. In total, William wrote more than 100 books, most of them for adolescent boys. Most of his books were published under the pseudonym Oliver Optic.

In addition to his work in the classroom and as an author, William enjoyed success as a politician and legislator. He served as a member of the school board for the town of Dorchester. Later he completed a 14-year stint on Boston’s school board. In 1869, William was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He served there representing the 5th Norfolk District until 1870.

This amazing educator, author, and politician passed away March 27, 1897, in Dorchester. He is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester. To read more about him, click on this link to his biography published by the University of Massachusetts.