Philadelphia Teacher Anna Willess Williams: She Became the Face of "Lady Liberty"

On many occasions a talented educator will gain notoriety for reasons that have nothing to do with the field of education. Such was certainly the case with Anna Willess Williams, a Philadelphia schoolteacher, who is best known for being the model for the image of  Lady Liberty on the Morgan silver dollar coin.


Anna was born in Philadelphia in 1857. In 1876, when she was just an eighteen-year-old art student, she was asked to pose for engraver George T. Morgan, an acquaintance of a friend of her father, who had been commissioned to produce a new series of coin designs for the U.S. Mint. For his design, Morgan wanted to use the image of an American girl. After rejecting several candidates, Morgan selected Anna as his model because was so impressed with her profile, commenting that it was the most perfect he had seen in the country. He described her as being fair in complexion, “with blue eyes and a Grecian nose,” with hair that was "almost her crowning glory… golden color, abundant, and light of texture," worn in an attractive classical style.


After being promised that her identity would always be kept confidential, the young art student sat for five sessions in November, 1876. By the time the silver dollar bearing her likeness was first struck on March 11, 1878, Anna had begun her career as a teacher. To Anna’s dismay, her identity as the image’s model was revealed shortly after the coin was released, resulting in instant fame. Anna received thousands of letters and visits at both her home and work place, and she was very disturbed by the attention. In her later years, she preferred not to discuss her modelling work with Morgan, dismissing the experience as an "incident of my youth."


Anna refused offers for acting and stage work, and chose to continue in her position as a teacher at the House of Refuge. In 1891, she left her job as the principal at that school to become a teacher of kindergarten philosophy at Girls’ Normal School in Philadelphia. Though she was once engaged to an unknown suitor, Anna never married. She retired from the teaching profession in 1924. She passed away from complications suffered from a bad fall on April 17, 1926, at the age of sixty-eight.

Terry Marzell to Appear at Local Authors Fair

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be one of ten authors appearing at a Local Authors Fair to be held at Eastvale Community Library on Saturday, January 11, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The public library is located on the campus of Eleanor Roosevelt High School at 7447 Scholar Way, Eastvale, California. My book, Chalkboard Champions, will be available for sale, and I will be on hand to sign copies. The event is free. Hope to see you there!

Maryland Educator, Civil Rights Activist, and Legislator Verda Freeman Welcome

Many teachers dedicate themselves to social and political causes outside of the classroom, knowing that to improve opportunities for American citizens as a whole specifically helps their students in the classroom. One such teacher was Verda Freeman Welcome, a teacher, politician, civil rights activist, and community activist from the state of Maryland.


Verda was born on March 18, 1807, in Lake Lure, North Carolina.  She was one of fifteen children of farmers John and Docia Freeman. As a young girl, Verda attended North Carolina and Delaware public schools. The young scholar always planned to pursue higher education, but following the death of her mother in 1928, she found herself with limited financial resources to pursue her goal. Undaunted, she worked as a domestic during the day and attended school in the evening until she eventually earned her high school diploma. She once recalled, "I had to make the daily sacrifices needed to keep my dreams intact."


In 1929, Verda moved to Baltimore and to continue her education at Coppin Normal School, where she earned her teaching certificate in 1932. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in History from Morgan State College in 1939, and she completed the requirements for her Master of Arts Degree from New York University in 1943. In her later years, she was awarded honorary doctorates from Howard University, Morgan University, and the University of Maryland.


During her youth, Verda learned first-hand that African Americans were often underpaid, undereducated, and underprivileged. She determined to make a positive impact on the black community as an educator, and so she taught in the Baltimore City Public Schools for eleven years.
      
In 1959, the dedicated teacher was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates to represent the Fourth District. She was the first black woman to achieve that distinction. Verda served as a delegate until 1962, when she was elected to the Maryland State Senate, becoming America's first African American female state senator. She served in the Maryland State Senate until 1982. Between the State House and the State Senate, Verda devoted a total of twenty-five years of service in the legislature. Significant among her accomplishments there was the passage of legislation dealing with such issues as discrimination in public accommodations, equal pay for equal work, the harassment of welfare recipients, illegal employment practices, voter registration, the abolition of capital punishment, and reforms in the state's correctional facilities.
     
On the personal side, Verda married a physician, Dr. Henry C. Welcome, in 1935. The union produced one daughter, whom Verda named Mary Sue Welcome.


For her many important achievements in the area of civil rights, this chalkboard champion was inducted into Maryland's Women's Hall of Fame in 1988. Verda was 83 years old when she passed away on April 22, 1990, in Baltimore.

John Antonetti: An Entertaining Presenter with Strategies for Engaging the Whole Child

All over the country these days teachers are being asked to attend inservices intended to prepare us for the upcoming shift to Common Core. Yesterday I enjoyed a quality presentation about this very them presented by educator John Antonetti. Throughout the entire day, this witty and entertaining speaker kept me on the edge of my seat. In The Learning Cube: Engaging the Whole Child, Every Child, we learned strategies for engaging our learners with sound, research-based instructional strategies firmly rooted in the Common Core Standards. For those of us who are struggling to understand, but eager to successfully meet, the challenges that Common Core presents, this presentation was a godsend.

John Antonetti was a first-class choice for a presenter. Not only is he amusing and engaging, he offers impressive credentials as well. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Master’s in Gifted Education, and a second Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. Previously, he was the director of K-12 curriculum in the Sheridan School District in Arkansas. He has also served as the supervisor of gifted programs in the eighteen districts of the Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative. For the past eight years, he has been a workshop presenter, developer, and trainer for processes such as classroom walk-throughs, assessment and instructional analysis, coaching, research-based best practices, and systemic writing programs. John is also the author of the book Writing as a Measure and Model of Thinking, and the co-author with Dr. Jim Garver of Focus on Learning: A Process for Personal and Collaborative Reflection.

I found it amazing that this gifted educator has taught at all grade levels, kindergarten through high school. This gives him a unique perspective on reaching students at all grade levels. But he also appears to have an innate ability to reach students at all ability levels as well. Anyone who has an opportunity to attend an inservice with John should jump at the opportunity.

Announcing the new Chalkboard Champions web site!

For the past year, I've enjoyed sharing stories about remarkable teachers, great teacher resources, and classroom tips with all of you. If you have enjoyed this blog, you might want to check out my new web site, www.chalkboardchampions.org.

Over the last several weeks, I've spent many hours learning how to build my own web site, experimenting with the layouts, and organizing the content. You'll find the Chalkboard Champions blog on the home page, a page which offers a collection of posts about best practices and teaching strategies, a page of recommended books about talented teachers and teaching, and an updated "about me" page. For those who wish to buy the book, I've also included the link to amazon.

Feel free to visit the web site, browse, leave a comment, and subscribe! See you there!

More Amazing High School Band Directors From this Year's Tournament of Roses Parade

Yesterday I wrote about some of the marvelous high school bands that participated in this year's Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, and their dedicated and hard-working band directors. Because there were thirteen of them, I could only cover half of them in the post. But today, as promised, I am paying homage to the remaining half of these very remarkable band directors and their amazing students. Read on for the details!

 

Band director Scott Schwarz led the magnificent one-hundred-eighty-one-member Glendora Tartan Band and Pageantry, which hails from Glendora High School in Glendora, California. Scott is in his twenty-second year at Glendora, the longest tenure of any director in the history of the school. The Pageantry is under the direction of Linda Bergslien. Linda is an alumnus of Glendora High School, and when she was a youngster, she was also a member of  the Tartan Band and Pageantry. This group, ranked one of the top bands in Southern California, can boast a long list of impressive achievements, having earned over one hundred fifty awards and honors over the last four years. This year's participation marks the ninth Rose Parade appearance for the school, and the fiftieth anniversary of their first appearance. What I enjoyed most about this band was the seventeen bagpipers that marched behind the banner carriers. The bagpiper uniforms were designed according to the 42nd Black Watch, the most renowned Scottish Regiment. You're amazing, Plaid Pride!

Next in the parade came band director Christopher Kreke leading the amazing Carmel High School Marching Greyhounds from Carmel, Indiana. Christopher received his bachelor’s degree in music education from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and he completed his master’s degree in music technology from Indiana University. Two-hundred-forty-four strong, the Marching Greyhounds have garnered the National Championship two times, the Indiana State Championship four times, and have been selected as a finalist for the Bands of America National Championships for seventeen straight years. The group has also won the Sudler Shield Award for outstanding high school, youth, and international marching bands, an honor given by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. The award is one of the highest forms of recognition for marching band programs.The Winter Guard is a two-time WGI World Class Champion and has captured four straight Indiana State Championships. "The students have worked incredibly hard to earn this honor, and I'm looking forward to their performances at Bandfest and in the parade," expressed Christopher. "This is truly a dream come true for our kids and staff!"

Also participating in this year's parade was the Homewood High School Patriot Band from Homewood, Alabama, led by band director Ron Pence. Ron, who has directed the Patriot Band since 1996, earned both his bachelor's and his master's in music education from the University of Southern Mississippi. Ron garnered the Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association in 1991, 2004, and 2005. The music program in Homewood has been recognized as one of the top one hundred in America. Ron's three-hundred-twenty-member marching band has represented the state of Alabama in the Inaugural Parades of both George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, has appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade eight times, two Fiesta Bowl Parades in Phoenix, Arizona, and three Orange Bowl Parades in Miami, Florida. They have even marched in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. Way to go, Patriots!

 

 

Head Director Tony White led the Los Angeles Unified Schools All-District High School Honor Band, a group comprised of distinguished student musicians from high schools throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District. This group was huge, three-hundred-sixty members! The All-District Band has been a part of the Tournament of Roses Parade every year since 1973, and Tony has directed the group for the past thirteen years. This gifted band director worked as a music educator at John C. Fremont High School for ten years. Although Tony currently works as a professional jazz musician playing the saxophone and clarinet, he is still  heavily involved with music and arts education, serving as the music and entertainment coordinator in the LA Unified School District. "The  challenge for me is maintaining both," he asserts. This chalkboard champion earned his bachelor's degree from University of California, Riverside, his teaching credential at Cal State Dominguez Hills, and his master's degree in educational leadership from Pepperdine University.

 

 

From Louisiana, the St. Augustine High School Marching 100 performed under the direction of Jeffery C. Herbert, Sr. The two hundred Purple Knights (Yes! Two hundred, not one hundred!) of this band attend an all-boys parochial school in New Orleans. This unique band  has created a style that is uniquely their own, both musically and in marching technique. But let's not ignore those snazzy uniforms and helmets! And the group has also played a part in Civil Rights history. In 1967, the Marching 100 broke the color barrier by becoming the first African American marching band to lead Rex during New Orleans' annual Mardi Gras Parade. "The parade used to go through the Quarter at that time," explained Jeffrey. "But you know those guys in '67 paved the way for black bands to be able to march today," he said. The group has also performed at Epcot Center in  Orlando, Florida, the  Magic City Classic in Birmingham, Alabama, the Southern University Bandfest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the ESPN parade for the Super Bowl in 2013.  Well done, Purple Knights!

 

 

Rick Moffit directed the Robert McQueen High School Lancer Band, which hails from Reno, Nevada. One of the most amazing facts about this school is that twenty-four percent of the student body is enrolled in the music program. "All of the kids are excited about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," expressed Rick. This talented one-hundred-forty-six member group has been named the Nevada State Marching Band Champions an impressive fourteen times. They have also marched in the Inaugural Parade for George W. Bush, participated in the Fiesta Bowl Parade and Field Show twice, and were a part of both the 2012 and 2013 Hollywood Christmas Parades.  According to Newsweek, McQueen is the number one high school in the state of Nevada. Outstanding, Lancers!
 

  

The last high school band to appear was the Colony High School Knights Marching Band from Palmer, Alaska, led by band director Jamin L. Burton. And their presence in the parade marks a first. "They've had bands from all around the world in this parade. They've never had a band from Alaska," remarked Jamin. "It is really awesome." Although this group was comparatively small, only seventy-nine student musicians, they have big spirit. They have been named Alaska State Champions nine times, every year since the band was formed! In addition to the Rose Parade, the talented group performed at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009, the Sugar Bowl in 2010, and the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC, in 2006. Awesome, indeed, Knights!

These thirteen music educators, and many, many more, show just how much of an impact great teachers and their programs have upon their students. We surely do owe them a debt of gratitude, not only for yesterday's parade entertainment, but for working so hard and putting in so many hours to create such a memorable experience for our young people. Chalkboard champions, all.

Remarkable Band Directors Lead Their Students in 2014 Rose Parade

Happy New Year, everybody! One of my favorite activities of New Year's Day is to watch the annual Tournament of Roses Parade, whether in person or by telecast. Since I was born in Pasadena, this unique, flower-inspired parade has always been very special to me. I have many happy childhood memories of standing on the curb on Colorado Boulevard to watch the spectacular floats, outstanding bands, and wonderful equestrian groups march by. This year, I was especially impressed with the many talented high school bands that participated in this marvelous parade. Let's pay tribute to them!
 

The Hawaii All State Marching Band Na Koa Alii is one of the most impressive high school bands in this year's parade. This three-hundred-ninety-five-member band is comprised of student musicians from forty different public and private schools representing the state of Hawaii. I truly enjoyed the talented Native Hawaiian dancers that accompanied this impressive band. The massive group gathered under the expert leadership of Managing Director John R. Riggle, who was the band director at Kamehameha Schools from 1977 until his retirement in 2009, and Lead Music Director Kerry Wasano, current band director at Maui High School in Kahului, Hawaii. Kerry is in his fifteenth year at Maui High School, where he conducts the Concert, Symphonic, Marching, and Pep Bands. He graduated from Maui High School in 1989, completed the requirements for his bachelor's degree in music in 1996 at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and earned his teaching certificate in secondary education in 1998. Aloha!

 

 

Equally impressive was the Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson High School Marching Band from San Antonio, Texas, directed by Jarrett Lipman. Jarrett graduated magna cum laude with dual degrees in music education and euphonium performance from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. In this young school's five-year history, Jarrett has led his two-hundred-nineteen-member band to earn both state and national recognition, having been named a finalist in the University Interscholastic League State Marching Band Contest in 2012, and having placed eighth at the Bands of America Grand National in 2011. They have also garnered the Winterguard International Scholastic Open Silver Medal in 2013, and the Texas Colorguard Circuit Scholastic Open Gold Medal in 2013.  The most amazing feature of the Johnson High School Band is their inclusion of acrobats, a first for the Tournament of Roses Parade! Well done, Johnson Jags!
 

 

 

Then there was Band Director Kevin Long leading the very colorful two-hundred-forty-nine-member Liberty High School Grenadier Band from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Kevin is himself a 1981 graduate of Liberty High, and earned his bachelor's degree in music education from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 1985. He has been his alma mater's band director since 1990. When I watched this band, I truly enjoyed  the authentic kilts, not to mention the twenty-two bagpipers, which sounded every bit as impressive as a four-hundred strong "mass bands" at Highland Games! The Grenadier Band musicians wear the exact uniform of the Coldstream Guards of the official band of Queen Elizabeth of England. The bagpipers wear the uniform of Her Majesty’s Scots Guard Pipers. Eighty of the musicians wear genuine bearskin hats, and the pipers all wear traditional feather bonnets. The majorettes wear a uniform inspired by highland dress and a Guards musician’s tunic. Very nice, Grenadiers!


Lafe Cook directed the Dobyns-Bennett High School Marching Indian Band from Kingsport, Tennessee. Lafe is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he served as the drum major for the Southland Marching Band. He is a former president of the Tennessee Bandmasters Association and a former member of the Board of Directors for the National Band Association. This gifted educator is also a four-time recipient of the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence, and he was recently honored by the John Philip Souza Foundation as a Sudler Flag of Honor Laureate. Lafe has been at Dobyns-Bennett High School for eleven of the sixteen years he has served as a band director. His talented group of student musicians can boast numerous achievements. They were named a Band of America Regional Finalist, a Band of America Grand Nationals Semifinalist, a Western Carolina University "Tournament of Champions" Grand Champion, a Middle Tennessee State University "Contest of Champions" Grand Champion, and a Tennessee State Marching Band Champion. This impressive three-hundred-fifty-member group also performed in President Barack Obama's 2013 Inaugural Parade.

Then, of course, there was the two-hundred-seventy-five-member Westfield High School Marching Bulldogs from Chantilly, Virginia, directed by Stephen Panoff. "It's just exhilarating — a bucket-list achievement for a band director," Stephen expressed. "It's one of those iconic moments you hope for, and I'm thrilled for the kids." This thirty-year veteran teacher and band director earned his bachelor's degree in both math and music from The College of William and Mary in 1983, and his master's degree in music teacher education from Shenandoah University in 1998. Stephen's talented students have been recognized as a Virginia Honor Band nine times, and they have been named an International Music Festival Grand Champion. The group has also earned the title of  NYC Big Apple Music Festival Grand Champion. Way to go, Bulldogs!

Another impressive group was the two-hundred-eight-member Rosemount High School Irish Marching Band from Rosemount, Minnesota, directed by music educators Leon Sieve, Steve Olsen, and Bojan Hoover. Leon Sieve earned his bachelor's degree in  music education from South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, in 1993, and his master's degree from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University, Ashland, Oregon, in 2005. Steve Olsen  earned his bachelor's degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and his master's degree in music education from the University of Minnesota. Bojan Hoover, a third year teacher, earned his bachelor's degree in  music education and music performance from the University of Minnesota. Like the other bands that marched in this year's Rose Parade, Rosemount students can boast an impressive list of achievements. Several times they have been named  Minnesota State Marching Band Champions, Minnesota State Fair Parade Grand Champions, Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional Class AAA Champions, and Band of America St. Louis Super Regional Finalists. Good job, Irish!

With thirteen remarkable high school bands participating in the Rose Parade, it isn't possible to fit them all into one blog post. But don't worry about anyone being left out! Tomorrow, I'll write about the other remarkable high school band directors and their impressive students who were chosen for the honor.