Loren Spears: Native American Teacher and Cultural Educator

Many talented and dedicated educators work diligently to foster an appreciation for the cultures of under-represented ethnic groups. One such educator is Loren Spears, a teacher, essayist, artist, and tribal council woman of the Narragansett Tribe in Rhode Island.

As a youngster, Loren attended Chariho Regional High School in her home town of Charleston, a rural village in southern Rhode Island. After her high school graduation, she earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education and teaching at the University of Rhode Island, graduating in 1988. She earned her master's degree in education at the University of New England in 2002.

Loren's teaching career spanned two decades and included twelve years as a first grade and fourth grade teacher in the Newport Public School system working with at-risk children. Throughout her professional career, Loren has always been a strong advocate for integrating more Native American history and experiential learning into school curriculum. Loren says she remembers, "being in a history class during my elementary days and actually reading that I supposedly didn't exist, that my family didn't exist, that my people didn't exist." She has spent much of her adult life correcting that misimpression.

In addition to her professional accomplishments as a teacher, Loren works as the executive director and curator of the Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum in Exeter, Rhode Island. The museum was the site of a private, state-certified school, the Nuweetooun School, which this talented educator directed from 2003 to 2010. Nuweetooun, which translates as "Our Home" in the Narragansett language, was founded by Loren with the help of the Narragansett community and generous donations, including monies from a local charity, the Narragansett Tribe, and the Rhode Island Foundation. Though Loren is Narragansett, the school is not connected to any specific tribe. As the school's director, Loren made sure that the Nuweetooun School provided Native American children from kindergarten through the eighth grade an experiential, collaborative curriculum based on Native American traditions and culture, as well as standard academic subjects including mathematics, language arts, social studies, science, and health.

In June, 2005, Loren received the Feinstein Salute to Teachers, Teacher of the Month. In 2006, she earned the Native Heritage Gathering Award, and in 2010, Loren was chosen as one of eleven Extraordinary Women honorees for Rhode Island in the area of education. Today, this chalkboard champion lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and uses her vast energy to focus on educating the public on indigenous issues, arts, culture, and history through cultural arts programming, lectures, art classes, inter-generational programming, grant writing, exhibit development and design, curriculum development, school design, Native American education, and educational consulting.

Leonard Skinner: The Physical Education Teacher That Inspired the Band Lynyrd Skynyrd

Many talented and dedicated educators earn recognition in fields outside of education, but occasionally a great teacher becomes known for the accomplishments of his students. Such was the case of Florida physical education teacher Leonard Skinner, who inspired his former students to name their band after him. The band's name? Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Forby Leonard Skinner was born January 11, 1933, in Jacksonville, Florida. As a youngster he attended Robert E. Lee High School, where he graduated in 1951. Leonard enrolled in Jacksonville Junior College on a basketball scholarship, but his education was cut short when he was drafted into the US Army. After he was discharged, Leonard enrolled at Florida State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1957.

Leonard first taught at Glynn Academy in Glynn County, Georgia, but for most of his career, he was a physical education at his alma mater, Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, Florida. Among his former students were several members of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, including Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, and Bob Burns, who were students at Robert E. Lee in the 1960s.
According to legend, Leonard's strict enforcement of a policy against long hair inspired the members to name their band after him. The gym teacher, a stickler for by-the-book procedures, sent Rossington and others to the principal's office for violating a school policy prohibiting long hair. Over time, Burns, Rossington, and other band members developed a series of running jokes about their teacher, until ultimately they decided to pay tongue-in-cheek homage to their flat-topped coach by renaming their group Lynyrd Skynyrd. When interviewed in January, 2009, Leonard abashedly told reporters he was just following the district policy. "It was against the school rules," he said. "I don't particularly like long hair on men, but again, it wasn't my rule." Of his former students, Leonard remembered, "They were good, talented, hard-working boys. They worked hard, lived hard and boozed hard."

Towards the end of his career, Leonard taught at Jacksonville Technical High School, where he retired in 1970. During his retirement, he became a real estate broker and tavern owner, but he maintained contact with his former students. In 1975, he even allowed the band to use a photograph of his "Leonard Skinner Realty" sign for the inside of their third album, Nuthin' Fancy. The band also performed at his tavern called The Still.
In January 2009, Leonard's home town of Jacksonville hosted an event called "A Tribute to Coach Leonard Skinner & Southern Rock" at the National Guard Armory. At the time, the Jacksonville newspaper wrote, "He was just a regular Westside guy, a coach and businessman with a strong code of honor, a disciplinarian at home and at school."
On September 20, 2010, Leonard passed away at a nursing home in Riverside, Florida. He was 77, and had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for several years. In his obituary, The Florida Times-Union called him "the no-nonsense, flat-topped basketball coach and gym teacher whose name is forever linked with Jacksonville's legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd." The New York Times described him as "arguably the most influential high school gym teacher in American popular culture."

Math Teacher Kay Toliver: A True Chalkboard Champion

Many chalkboard champions have been recognized nationally for creating innovative and dynamic programs in their subject area. One such educator in Kay Toliver of New York City.

Kay was born and raised in East Harlem and the South Bronx. As a youngster, she attended Harriet Beecher Stowe Junior High, Walton High School, and Hunter College, where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1967 and her master's degree in 1971. Additionally, Kay completed graduate work in mathematics at the City College of New York.

For more than 30 years, Kay taught mathematics and communication arts at P.S. 72/East Harlem Tech in Community School District 4. Prior to instructing seventh and eighth grade students, she taught grades one through six for 15 years. "Becoming a teacher was the fulfillment of a childhood dream," she once said. "My parents always stressed that education was the key to a better life. By becoming a teacher, I hoped to inspire African-American and Hispanic youths to realize their own dreams. I wanted to give something back to the communities I grew up in."

At East Harlem Tech, with the support of her principal, Kay established the "Challenger" program for grades 4-8. The program presents the basics of geometry and algebra within an integrated curriculum. The program was designed for gifted students; however, because of her strong belief that all students can learn, she accepted pupils from all ability levels.

The program offers events that are similar to science fairs but involve students in creating and displaying projects related to mathematics. Participants had to be able to explain thoroughly the mathematical theories and concepts behind their projects, which were placed on display at the school so that students from the lower grades could examine the older students' research. Students have created mathematic games such as Dunking for Prime Numbers, Fishing for Palindromes, and Black Jack Geometry.

Kay also developed a lesson called the Math Trail to give students an appreciation for the community as well as an opportunity to see mathematics at work. To create a Math Trail, the class must first do some research on the history of the community. Then, they are instructed to plot a course, starting from the school building, that leads the class through the community and back to school, with stops along the way to visit several sites and create math problems about various real-life situations.

To show teachers throughout the country how she creates enthusiasm for mathematics among her students, Kay has worked with the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education (FASE) to create a number of educational video products. Most recently, she has worked with The Futures Channel to present staff development institutes and parent engagement events at schools and districts throughout the country.

For her efforts, Kay has earned many awards, including the Reliance Award for Excellence in Education, Middle School; Outstanding Teacher for Mathematics Instruction, Disney American Teacher Awards; the Kilby Award; and the Essence Award.

Kay Toliver: a true chalkboard champion.

Former First Lady of Iowa Christie Vilsack: A Champion for Literacy

Many educators find success in fields other than education, and many become accomplished in the political arena. One such teacher is Christie Vilsack, who is probably best known for being the former First lady of Iowa (1999-2007). This tireless educator is also an advocate for literacy and a politician in her own right.

Christie was born on July 9, 1950, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. After she graduated from high school, she attended Kirkland College in Clinton, New York. It was there she met her future husband, Tom Vilsack, a promising law student. After her college graduation in 1972,the couple married and added two sons to their family.

Tom and Christie moved to Mount Pleasant in 1975. She began her career there as a teacher and a librarian. She taught language arts and journalism at the junior high school level for eighteen years, and then transferred to the high school level. She also taught English and journalism at Iowa Wesleyan College for six years. She earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Iowa in 1992. With this degree, Christie worked as a reporter and columnist for her local newspaper, the Mount Pleasant News.

Christie became First Lady of Iowa when her husband was sworn in as the state's governor in 1999. During his first term, this enterprising former teacher created a statewide literacy program and raised money to provide a book to every kindergarten child in Iowa. In 2000, she inaugurated Iowa Stories 2000, an effort to promote reading and storytelling for Iowans of all ages. The $50,000 program was paid for by contributions from businesses and nonprofit organizations. As founder and president of the Vilsack Foundation, she partnered with the National Center for Family Literacy to promote media literacy with parents and their children.

After her husband left the governor's office, he was appointed Secretary of Agriculture in the Obama Administration. In April, 2013, Christie joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as the Senior Advisor for International Education. In this position, Christie will focus on children’s reading skills, work force development, and equitable access to education in crisis and conflict settings. USAID launched an agency-wide policy on education last year. The agency has helped a quarter million students with reading in Kenya, nearly a million in Mali, and 1.5 million in Egypt. Worldwide, the agency has provided tens of millions of textbooks and other teaching and learning materials to students in third-world countries.

Christie Vilsack.: a true chalkboard champion.

Chalkboard Champion Freida Riley: The Inspiration Behind the Rocket Boys

One of the most amazing teachers ever was a West Virginia educator named Freida Joy Riley. This dedicated teacher is responsible for inspiring young students in a small coal mining town to pursue careers in NASA, and preparing them academically to succeed there.

Freida was born in 1937 in Squire, West Virginia, to J.F. and Sallie Beavers Riley. As a high school student, she attended Big Creek High School, where she was ranked first in her class. Following her high school graduation, she attended Concord College and then completed graduate work at Ohio State University and West Virginia University.

After college, Frieda was hired to teach at her alma mater, Big Creek High School in War, West Virginia. She worked there during the late 1950s and early 1960s teaching math, science, chemistry, and physics. As an educator, she was considered dynamic, but tough. She was widely known for her inspiring work with students, including Homer Hickam, Jr., who achieved his seemingly unattainable goal of working for NASA. After Homer retired, he became a highly acclaimed writer, publishing a 1998 memoir entitled Rocket Boys which soared to the top of the best seller lists. In the book, Homer gave a great deal of credit to Freida for his professional successes. Eventually, the story became the 1999 feature film October Sky, with actress Laura Dern portraying Freida. The talented educator also appeared in Homer's two follow-up memoirs, The Coalwood Way published in 2000, and Sky of Stone published in 2002.

In the last days of her life, Freida suffered from Hodgkin's Disease. Nevertheless, she insisted on continuing with her teaching, even when it was necessary for her students to carry her to her classroom on a stretcher. She passed away in 1969, when she was only 31 years old. She is interred at Grandview Memory Gardens in Bluefield, Virginia.

The Freida J. Riley Award was established in her honor and is awarded annually to an American educator who overcomes adversity or makes an enormous sacrifice to positively impact students. The award is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and administered by the Partnership for America's Future. Concord College has also established an annual scholarship in Riley's name.

Dedicated Band Directors Lead Students in This Year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

While enjoying today's broadcast of the 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I was struck by how many amazing high school bands were selected to perform in this celebrated event. I decided to share some information about the gifted and dedicated educators who have devoted their expertise to serve as band directors for these groups of talented young people.

Joel Denton led the Ooltewah High School Band from Ooltewah, Tennessee. Joel earned his bachelor's of science in music education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Joel has served as chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Ooltewah from 1982 to the present, and as the choral director from 1993 to 1997. This talented educator was selected as the Ooltewah Teacher of the Year in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2011 and the Beta Club Teacher of the Year in 1995. The Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts has twice honored him for outstanding teaching and mentoring. He is active as an adjudicator, clinician, and consultant for bands throughout the nation.

Band director Kevin Ford led the Tarpon Springs High School Outdoor Performance Ensemble. This group hails from Tarpon Springs, Florida. Kevin is the director of The Leadership Conservatory for The Arts at Tarpon Springs High School, and has been nationally recognized as an accomplished show designer for the past twenty-five years. This gifted educator has been a teacher in the public school system for eighteen years, all of which have been spent as the director of bands at Tarpon Springs High School. Kevin earned his bachelor of arts in music education from the University of Florida.

Directing the Union High School Renegade Regiment from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was Matthew McCready. Matthew, an eight-year veteran educator, graduated from the University of Kansas, earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education. While attending KU, this hardworking educator served as the assistant director of both the men’s and women’s basketball bands during the 100th year anniversary of Kansas basketball. During those years he was also selected to perform in the Walt Disney World All-American College Band. In addition to teaching, Matthew devotes his time to being a musician, adjudicator, clinician, and conductor.

Band director Greg Snyder led the Lakota West High School Marching Firebirds from West Chester, Ohio. Greg has been director of bands in the Lakota Local School District since 1987. He earned his bachelor’s degree in music education degree from Bowling Green State University and his master’s degree from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. Most impressively, this talented director was inducted into the elite ranks of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA) in 2007.

Directing the Marian Catholic High School Band from Chicago Heights, Illinois, was Greg Bimm. Greg, who has taught for thirty-six years at Marian Catholic, earned his bachelor's degree in music education from Illinois State University, his master's from Western Illinois University, and his doctorate from VanderCook College of Music. Greg has received five National Band Association Citations of Excellence and the NBA Certificate of Merit. He was named the 1983 national winner of the ASBDA Stanbury award for young band directors, and received the Sudler Order of Merit from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 1991 and 1997. Most recently, this remarkable educator served as a member of the teaching staff for the Bands of America Honor Band that appeared in the 2005 Tournament of Roses Parade.

Leading the Concord Community High School Marching Minutemen was gifted and talented band director Scott Spradling. This is the fifth appearance of the Minutemen in the Macy's Parade. What is so impressive about Scott's music program is that the Performing Arts Department at Concord High School involves approximately half of the school's 1500 students in their course offerings of marching band, concert band, jazz band, pep band, string orchestra, symphony orchestra, choir, piano, dance, and AP music theory.

Director of Bands Scott Burgener led the Mountain View High School Toro Marching Band from Meza, Arizona. Scott has been a high school band director in Arizona since 1993, and has taught at Mountain View since 1999. This dedicated teacher holds both a bachelor's and a master's degree in instrumental music education from Arizona State University. Scott has been honored with the Champion of the Arts Award by the West Valley Fine Arts Council, and in 2006, he was chosen as one of the "50 Directors Who Make a Difference" by School Band and Orchestra (SBO) Magazine. In 2009, he was recognized with AMEA's George C. Wilson Leadership/Service Award.

Also making an appearance in the parade was Macy's Great American Marching Band, comprised of students from all fifty states. These amazing student musicians rehearse together for only one week prior to the parade. This band was led by Dr. Jon Woods from the Ohio State University and Dr. Richard D. Good from Auburn University.

Chalkboard champions, all!

Horror Fiction Writer Stephen King Was Once a High School Teacher

Most people are very familiar with the popular novels and short stories of talented horror fiction writer Stephen King, but did you know he was once a high school teacher?

Stephen was born on September 21, 1947, in Portland, Maine. His father was a merchant seaman, and his mother was a kitchen worker in a facility for the developmentally handicapped. When Stephen was only two years old, his father abandoned the family, and thereafter his mother struggled to support herself, Stephen, and Stephen's older brother, David.

When he was young, Stephen attended Durham Elementary School, and then Lisbon Falls High School in Lisbon Falls, Maine, where he graduated in 1966. Even as a child, Stephen displayed an interest in horror fiction. He was an avid reader of EC's horror comics, which included the stories of Tales from the Crypt.  He began writing for his own amusement, contributing articles to Dave's Rag, a home-based newspaper his brother published with a mimeograph machine. Later he began selling stories to his classmates based on movies he had seen, though he was forced to return his profits when his teachers discovered the enterprise. The first of Stephen's stories to be independently published was "I Was a Teenage Grave Robber," published in a popular fanzine in 1965.

Following Stephen's graduation from high school in 1966, he enrolled as a student at the University of Maine, Orono, declaring a major in English. During his college years, he wrote a column for the student newspaper, The Maine Campus, entitled "Steve King's Garbage Truck," participated in writing workshops, and took odd jobs to help meet his living expenses, including one stint at an industrial laundry.  He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He sold his first professional short story, "The Glass Floor," to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967.

After graduating from the university in 1970, Stephen earned his high school teaching credential, but was unable to find a teaching position right away. To earn a living, he sold short stories to men's magazines such as Cavalier. In 1971, Stephen was hired to teach at Hampden Academy, a public high school in Hampden, Maine. He continued to contribute short stories to magazines and worked on ideas for novels. After his novel Carrie was published, Stephen left his job as a high school teacher to write full time, but he continued his career as an educator when he was hired as a professor of creative writing at the University of Maine, Orono.

Today, Stephen King and his family live in Bangor, Maine. His wife, Tabitha King, is also a successful author. Stephen and Tabitha provide scholarships for local high school students and contribute to many other local and national charities.