Tag Archives: Veterans

NJ teacher and US veteran Michael Russell earns VFW Award

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New Jersey’s Michael Russell, an 8th grade science teacher, has earned a 2020 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award. Photo credit: Veterans of Foreign Wars

I always enjoy sharing stories about accomplished classroom teachers who have also served our country in the US military. One of these is Michael Russell, a science teacher from New Jersey who is also a veteran with the Army National guard.

Michael is employed as an eighth grade science teacher at Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School located in Bridgewater, New Jersey. But he is also a former sergeant with the US Army National Guard. This Chalkboard Hero also serves his community as a volunteer firefighter. His career as an educator has spanned 21 years.

To encourage students to honor our nation’s veterans, Michael has founded a Veterans History Club on campus. The club which organizes a forum for discussions about veterans and also arranges for veterans to come to the campus as speakers. In addition, Michael organizes schoolwide fundraisers that generate donations and supplies for service members, veterans, and their families. He also escorts students on visits to local veterans’ memorials, and he supports the Veterans History Project sponsored by the Library of Congress.

For this tireless work, Michael has been recognized as a 2020 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award for the middle school level. The dedicated educator was sponsored by VFW Post 370 in Highland Park, New Jersey. He was chosen for his work to educate students at his school about the importance and sacrifices of America’s veterans.

Each year, the VFW recognizes one national winner at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Each honoree receives a $1,000 prize for professional development, and an additional $1,000 for their school. Each recipient also receives a pair of commemorative plaques, one for their school and one to keep.

To read more about Michael, see this article published by the New Jersey Education Association.

LouAnne Johnson: Educator, author, and veteran

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LouAnne Johnson: Educator, author, journalist, and former servicewoman in both the US Navy and the US Marines. Photo credit: The Authors Guild

Sometimes teachers feel like running our classroom is a lot like being in the military. We have to organize our time like clockwork, plan our lessons in meticulous detail, and often instill some regimental discipline on highly-energized recruits. One Chalkboard Champion who has done all this very successfully is LouAnne Johnson, an educator, author, journalist, and former servicewoman in both the US Navy and the US Marines.

LouAnne is best known for her book My Posse Don’t Do Homework, which was adapted as the film Dangerous Minds  starring Michelle Pfeiffer in 1995, and a television series starring Annie Potts in 1996.

LouAnne was raised in Youngsville, Pennsylvania. After her graduation from high school, she enrolled at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, but dropped out after a few weeks to enlist in the US Navy, who sent her to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. She served nine years on active duty, achieving the rank of Petty Officer First Class. She wrote about her experiences during these years in her 1986 book Making Waves: A Woman in This Man’s Navy. She later transferred to the US Marine Corps, where she rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant. Throughout her military service, LouAnne earned the Navy Commendation Medal and the Air Force Achievement Award for her work as a journalist and ​radio-television broadcaster.

When her stint in the Marine Corps was completed, LouAnne earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of LaVerne in LaVerne, California, her Master’s degree in teaching English from Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California, and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Sage Colleges in Albany, New York.

In 1989 LouAnne garnered her first position as an educator at Carlmont High School in Belmont, California, where she began teaching reading and writing to non-English speakers as an intern. Two years later, she was appointed Department Chair of a special program for at-risk teens. During the government evaluation of ten similar pilot programs, LouAnne’s group was rated first in academic achievement, increased self-esteem, and student retention. Since then, LouAnne has taught English, adult basic education, developmental reading, and writing at high schools and colleges.

To learn more about LouAnne Johnson, see her website at louannejohnson.com.

Business Ed teacher, veteran, and musician Jim Flynn of Maine

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Business Education teacher, veteran, and award-winning country music songwriter Jim Flynn of Lewistown, Maine. Photo credit: Creative Commons.

There are many examples of dedicated educators who have earned fame in arenas outside of the classroom. One of these was Jim Flynn, a business education teacher from Maine who was also well-known as a country music songwriter.

Jim was born on March 24, 1938, in Lewistown, Maine. He was raised is Monmouth, Maine. As a young man, he served his country in the US Army as a radio operator. He was deployed to Germany as part of the Cold War effort known as Operation Gyroscope. In 1957, he joined a musical group named the Tune Toppers which was featured in the 10th Infantry Division Band and Chorus that performed in Wurzburg.

After Jim earned his Honorable discharge in 1959, he enrolled in business courses at first the Auburn Maine School of Commerce and then the Husson College in Bangor, Maine. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Education in 1964. Ten years later he earned his Master’s degree in Secondary School Administration from the University of Southern Maine at Portland-Gorham.

Jim inaugurated his career as an educator in 1964. He taught Business Education and also coached sports. Once he retired from the classroom, he sold educational textbooks to public schools located in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts.

After he left the classroom, Jim became a local celebrity among country music aficionados in New England. The former educator earned several awards for the songs he wrote. In 2005, he garnered first place in the Best Folk Songwriter category for the song “The Ballad of L.L. Bean” at the Down East Country Music Awards (DECMA). That same year, he earned second and third place in the Traditional Country Songwriter category for his compositions entitled “As Calm as a Blue Lagoon” and “The Day they Paved the Road.” In addition, DECMA honored Jim with a Founders Award for his contributions to the Maine country music community.

Jim Flynn passed away on May 8, 2019, in his home town of Lewistown. He was 81 years old. To read more about this talented teacher, see his entry at Moviefit.

CA history teacher and US Army veteran (Victor) Gene Jozens

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Retired Fontana High School history and Driver’s Education teacher (Victor) Gene Jozens with his wife Faith. (Photo credit: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

Many fine classroom teachers are also veterans of the United States Armed Forces. One of these was Victor (Gene) Jozens, a history teacher from Rialto, California.

Gene was born on Feb. 15, 1932, in Hammond, Indiana. He left home when only a teenager, and relocated to Southern California, where he supported himself and continued his education. There he enrolled at San Bernardino High School in San Bernardino County.  After he graduated from high school, Gene enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in History. He then returned to San Bernardino County, where he earned his Master’s degree in United States History at the University of Redlands in the city of Redlands.

In a career that spanned 40 years, Gene taught history, US government, and Driver’s Education at Fontana High School in the small rural community of Fontana, California. He also coached the boys tennis team and served as the advisor for the school’s Leo Club.

Gene was a popular teacher who made a positive mark on many students over the course of his career. “Mr. Jozens was my favorite teacher,” remembered former student Melanie Bush Garber. “I had him for Government and Driver’s Training. I took Driver’s Training during the summer and we would go on great adventures, to the beach, the mountains, stopped and toured interesting places. Every day was something new!” she continued. “I never saw him without a smile, and he was so patient with us,” she concluded.

In his spare time, the energetic teacher played tennis, worked on classic cars, and created mosaic tile tables and other carpentry projects. He also earned a private pilot’s license. He was half-owner of a Piper Archer aircraft, and enjoyed treating family and friends on plane rides over the  the San Bernardino Mountains and Valley.

Victor also served his country as a US Army veteran. He was deployed to Korea during the Korean Conflict. But service to his country didn’t end once he was discharged. Later in life, Victor joined the Civil Air Patrol, a civilian auxiliary of the US Air Force. He served in Squadron 25 at Cable Airport in Upland, California.

In addition to his work as an educator and military man, Victor was involved in many community service projects, particularly during his later years. After his retirement in 1996, he became involved with the Marine Toys for Tots campaign. He was known to pick up donated toys, pack them into his plane, and deliver them to the marine base located in Twentynine Palms, California.

This amazing Chalkboard Champion passed away on Sept. 24, 2020. He was 88 years old. He will be interred at Riverside National Cemetery with military honors in the coming spring.

To read more about Gene jozens, see his obituary at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

Covid-19 claims Kentucky school counselor Pamela Harris

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Beloved school counselor Pamela Harris of Fort Knox, Kentucky, passed away from Covid-19 on Sept. 15, 2020. (Photo credit: Facebook)

Sadly, Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Pamela Harris, a school counselor from Fort Knox, Kentucky, passed away from the disease on Sept. 15, 2020. She was 60 years old.

Pamela was a veteran of the United States Army. She had been employed as an teacher and school counselor by the US Department of Defense for several years. She worked at Fort Knox Middle/High School, which is located on the military base about 40 miles southwest of Louisville in Hardin County. Approximately 600 students from the seventh through twelfth grades are enrolled at the school. Pamela served students in grades nine and ten.

“Her kindness, energy, and love for her job, was seen daily as she greeted students, and co-workers, with a smile and an encouraging word,” remembered spokespersons in a Facebook post. “The joy she possessed in her heart spilled over on to everyone in the building and in the surrounding community,” the spokespersons continued in the post. “Ms. Harris was an amazing example of an Energetic, Dedicated, Educator and she always Exhibited Eagle Pride. We send our deepest condolences to all of her family, friends, and loved ones. Ms. Harris leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten,” the post concluded.

Fort Knox MIddle/High School Principal Lonnie R. Gilmore, Jr., agreed.  “Mrs. Harris dedicated many years to the Fort Knox Community in service as an Army veteran, teacher, and school counselor. She was also a beloved staff member who was known for lifting up others with her smile, encouraging words and jokes,” Gilmore expressed in an email.

To read more about the passing of this beloved educator, see this article published in the Courier Journal.