Tag Archives: Veterans

Kansas elem teacher Eugene Struzik garners 2024 VFW Citizenship Education Award

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Elementary school teacher Eugene Struzik III of Dodge City, Kansas, has garnered a 2024 Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Award from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Photo Credit: VFW

I always enjoy shining a spotlight on an outstanding teacher who has also served our country in the military. Today, I highlight Eugene Struzik III, an elementary school teacher in Dodge City, Kansas. He has garnered a 2024 Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Award from the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars).

Eugene, a veteran of the United States Air Force, teaches fifth grade at Northwest Elementary School in Dodge City. Sponsored by Howard Gotschall VFW Post 1714 in Dodge City, Eugene was selected for the award because of his passion and dedication towards instilling a sense of appreciation and patriotism among his students and community. For example, he co-ordinated a Veterans Day activity entitled Project Mail Call: Honoring Our Veterans. Through this project, Eugene’s students wrote cards to veterans who were embarking on a Kansas Honor Flight.

Each year, the VFW selects one elementary, one middle school, and one high school teacher to receive the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher award. The honor recognizes outstanding teachers for their exceptional commitment to teaching Americanism and patriotism to their students through promoting civic responsibility, flag etiquette, and patriotism in the classroom. The award was established in 1999 and named after former VFW National Commander John Smart and retired VFW Quartermaster General Larry Maher. Eugene will be presented with a check for $1,000 which he can use for professional development and $1,000 for his school during the 125th VFW National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, July 27-Aug. 1, 2024.

To read more, click on this link to VFW website.

On Memorial Day, remember veterans who are also Chalkboard Champions

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When celebrating our nation’s veterans today, I like to remember that many of them are also Chalkboard Champions. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 2% of teachers in our nation’s classrooms are military veterans.

The call to service is something that many service members don’t lose once they are discharged from the military. That’s one of the reasons that so many veterans gravitate towards the teaching professions once their service is complete.

Military veterans have many personality traits that make them particularly suited for a career in teaching. When entering the profession, veterans are typically older and have had more varied life experiences. In addition, veterans can bring a wealth of leadership qualities to the classroom. An understanding of the importance of discipline, an appreciation of the value of education, the ability to adapt, and the capacity to work well, even highly stressful circumstances, are some of the qualities that veterans can bring to the classroom. Also, often veterans possess the ability to persevere, which is a trait that is especially needed in a profession that has a high turnover rate.

Another valuable characteristic that many veterans possess is their potential to connect with students from ethnically diverse neighborhoods or lower-economic backgrounds, because many veterans themselves come from such circumstances. They understand from firsthand experience how challenging some school environments can be, and therefore may be more invested in helping to make a difference in such school systems. Furthermore, veterans have been especially trained to accomplish tasks collaboratively.

For these reasons, and many more, veterans are invaluable as Chalkboard Champions. So, today and every day, let’s celebrate our nation’s teachers who are also veterans!

WWII Veteran Braulio Alonso was a distinguished educator

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Florida teacher, NEA President, and US Army veteran Braulio Alonso. Photo credit: Jefferson High School.

When we think about veterans who are also Chalkboard Heroes, one name that immediately comes to mind is Braulio Alonso. This distinguished educator and World War II veteran can boast of numerous accomplishments during his lifetime.

Born in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, in 1916, the son of impoverished cigar makers, Braulio graduated as the valedictorian of his class from Hillsborough High School in 1935. He was also the valedictorian of his college class when he graduated from the University of Tampa in 1939.

Braulio began his teaching career as an instructor of physics and chemistry courses at Henry B. Plant High School in Tampa, but in 1941, when World War II erupted, he became part of the United States Army. He was immediately sent to officer candidate school, and later he became part of the 85th Infantry Division in North Africa. The teacher-soldier was promoted to Battery Commander for the 328th Artillery Battalion, taking an active part in the Italian campaign. He was among the first Allied soldiers to liberate Rome. By the time he was discharged from the service, Braulio had earned a Bronze Star with Cluster and a Purple Heart.

After the war, Braulio continued his career as an educator. He was named the Director of Adult Education and headed an on-the-job training program for returning veterans. He also taught classes and served as a principal at several schools, including West Tampa Junior High, Jefferson High School, and C. Leon King High School.

Always intent upon improving the quality of education, Braulio became the president of his local teachers’ union, eventually becoming the president of the Florida Education Association, where he led the drive to integrate the organization. In 1967, he was elected the president of the National Education Association, the first Hispanic to hold that office. While NEA president, Braulio worked to persuade teacher organizations throughout Europe to join with NEA for an international conference to combat racism, anti-Semitism and apartheid, and served as its secretary. In 1966 he became an international figure when he was asked to mediate a dispute among teacher organizations and the Bolivian government. This was the first of many missions to mediate disputes, including efforts in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Ghana.

This remarkable Chalkboard Hero passed away of natural causes in 2010. He will be missed, but certainly not forgotten.

Military veteran and teacher LouAnn Johnson known for memoir on which movie “Dangerous Minds” was based

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US military veteran and teacher LouAnn Johnson became famous for writing the book on which the movie Dangerous Minds was based. Photo Credit:US Marine Corps

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 LouAnn, click on this link to the APB Speakers Bureau.

Educator and WWII war hero John “Bud” Hawk earned a Medal of Honor

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WWII veteran and war hero John “Bud” Hawk worked as a teacher and principal in Washington state for 31 years. Photo Credit: Dignity Memorial

Many excellent educators have also served our country in the military. One of these is John “Bud” Hawk, a teacher and principal who served valiantly in the US Army during World War II.

John was born on May 30, 1924, in San Francisco, California. When he was in the third grade, his family relocated to Bainbridge Island, Washington state, a place that John always considered home. He graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1943, and two weeks later he joined the US Army.

This intrepid soldier served in Europe as a sergeant in Company E, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division, serving under then Lt. General George S. Patton. While there, John sustained injuries during a battle against the German army near Chamois, France. During this battle, John fought off German soldiers with his machine gun before an artillery shell destroyed it and wounded his right thigh. He found a bazooka and helped force German tanks into a forest. He regrouped two machine gun squads and built a working gun out of two damaged ones. Later in the battle, John braved gunfire at the top of a knoll to help tank destroyers sight their targets. Because the destroyer crews couldn’t hear his directions, Hawk ran back and forth several times to correct their range until two of the tanks were destroyed, a third retreated and 500 German soldiers surrendered.

For this heroic action, John earned a Medal of Honor from Pres. Harry Truman in 1945. During his years in the military, the future teacher was awarded no less than four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, and a Distinguished Conduct Medal from the United Kingdom. Later John was inducted into the French Legion of Honor.

After the war and his discharge, John returned to Washington state, where he enrolled at the University of Washington. There he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology. For the next 31 years, the military veteran worked as a teacher and principal in the Central Kitsap School District. He retired from the teaching profession in 1983.

Sadly, John Hawk passed away on Nov. 4, 2013. He was 89 years old. To honor him, Jackson Park Elementary School in Bremerton was renamed John D. “Bud” Hawk Elementary School.