To celebrate, we’re digging around for some of the best education-related stuff we’ve seen. Check here as the week goes by for some of our favorite education stories, videos, quotes and resources.
To kick things off, check out one of the best homages to teaching that I’ve ever seen. Click on the TED talk below to watch.
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‘I am a teacher. I am not extraordinary. It is my job that is extraordinary. It is my students who are extraordinary.’
Check out one Chicago teacher’s reflections on what makes her job so great: her students. Read the full article here.
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Teaching is an art.
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Our job is to teach the student we have. Not the ones we would like to have. Not the ones we used to have. Those we have right now. All of them.
“At the heart of a democracy is its educational system, and in the heart of America is The National Teachers Hall of Fame.” -President Bill Clinton, 1993
Located in Emporia, Kansas, the National Teacher Hall of Fame was founded in 1989. Its mission? To recognize and honor exceptional career teachers, encourage excellence in teaching, and preserve the rich heritage of the teaching profession in the United States. In its humble way, the Hall of Fame is about the things teachers do every single day that shape our minds from preschool all the way to higher education.
If the famous John Dewey quote is true, and “education is life itself,” then how do we appreciate the people who make up our education system? That’s what the Hall of Fame aims to do. Every year, the Hall announces 5 New Inductees. Members of the California Casualty team were honored to be a part of ceremonies recognizing these teachers on April 9th. They will be inducted on June 14th. A big congratulations to the 2013 Inductees!
The 2013 New Inductees to the National Teachers Hall of Fame:
Please note – we’ve changed the voting requirements this month. In order to vote, you’ll have to create an account and log in to vote. Once you register, you’ll be taken directly to the voting page.
Don’t want to register? You can still see the voting results – just click here.
Name: Jeff B.
Profession: Volunteer Firefighter/EMT
In 2012, Jeff responded to a medical emergency. As the 34-year volunteer Firefighter and EMT loaded his patient into an ambulance, a nearby fire truck popped out of gear and started to roll. As the truck came towards them both, Jeff shoved his patient out of the way- saving her life as he took the entire brunt of the impact. The force of the hit pinned Jeff between the vehicles, breaking both femurs, two bones in one shin and his pelvis in two spots. After several surgeries and months of recovery, Jeff’s surgeon told him his injuries would prevent him from firefighting. He now continues to work full time as a director of sales.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgALcX84IpI
Name: Angela W.
Profession: EMT
Emergency Medical Technician Angela W. was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer on her birthday last year. Angela faced her diagnosis with bravery and determination, muscling through radiation and chemotherapy with resolve and an upbeat attitude. Angela even returned to work as an EMT while still undergoing treatment. Some days, she would head to work for 12 or 24-hour shifts straight from radiation therapy. Now a breast cancer survivor, Angela thanks her immediate family and her EMS family for their support and encouragement during her recovery.
Name: September S.
Profession: Registered Nurse
September is a registered nurse raising three children while her husband is deployed in Afghanistan. As her husband puts it, “If superwoman did exist on this planet, her alter ego is September.” Watch the video below to hear directly from him what makes this Nurse such a hero:
Name: Steve H.
Profession: Educator
Steve is a Special Ed Behavioral Disorders teacher working with students of all ages. His coworkers describe Steve’s effect on his students as ‘amazing.’ Fellow teachers point out that his students are prepared and confident after his classes. They note the ‘happy changes’ that Steve helps his students make- changes that stay with them long after they have left his classroom. Steve not only teaches his students, he strives to make them feel important and needed. Outside of the classroom, Steve and his wife train guide dogs for the blind. So far, they have trained ten dogs- all of whom graduated on to the next level of training!
Name: Michael D.
Profession: Law Enforcement
In September 2012, San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputies were attempting to arrest a suspect when the suspect began shooting a high-powered rifle from a 2nd story window- hitting and wounding two officers. Off-duty SWAT Officer DeWitt, a member of the department’s Gang Suppression Team, happened to be driving by the scene in his SWAT vehicle when he noticed the disturbance. He immediately donned his vest, armed himself, and offered his service. Upon learning that an injured officer was still in the line of fire, DeWitt assembled a team, gave assignments, and proceeded in to retrieve the officer. The team reached the wounded officer, but realizing they were moving too slow, Officer DeWitt slung his weapon over his back–foregoing his own safety– to give full physical assistance and lessen the team’s time in the line of fire. While the team used DeWitt’s first aid kit to attend to the officer’s injuries, DeWitt noticed a woman and two small children running from the apartment complex in panic. Realizing that they were running into the line of fire, DeWitt left his position of safety to run and pick up one child as the woman carried the other to safety. DeWitt then returned to the apartment complex to make sure the second wounded officer was being cared for. He was nominated by his fellow law enforcement officers who note his extreme bravery, leadership, and judgment skills.
Thirteen California high schools have received grants for their athletics programs, thanks to the California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant initiative. They are among 85 high schools in 38 states receiving a total of $101,500 for struggling athletics programs.
Budget cuts have affected most of these schools. Many of them – rural, urban and suburban – have populations with a majority of the students coming from low-income households, where just keeping food on the table is difficult. There’s no household budget for uniforms, transportation or participation fees. In many of their communities, high school is their only access to team athletics; there are no local club or recreational opportunities. Despite the challenges, some school athletic programs have enacted “no cut” policies so that anyone who wishes can participate, or started up a team when none had existed for decades, or simply learned to make do with substandard or non-existent facilities. Some of their teams face shut-down because their equipment doesn’t meet current day safety standards. Many have fielded state champions and all have recognized the tangible and intangible interplay between athletic participation and academic success. For the first time in its history, an alternative high school introduced sports and saw its students’ grades, behavior and attendance soar.
The Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant will help each of these 13 schools in purchasing new equipment and uniforms, or by providing funds for transportation, or covering a variety of costs for students who could not otherwise afford to participate.
Grants were made to: Buena Park High School; Centennial High School (Compton); Chico High School; Covina High School; Donald Jamison High School (Lemoore); Galileo Academy of Science and Technology (San Francisco); Leuzinger High School (Lawndale); Livermore High School; Loara High School (Anaheim); Lone Pine High School; Mountain Empire High School (Pine Valley); San Bernardino High School; and Shandon High School.
Shrinking state education budgets, pressure on schools to focus efforts on academics, and diminishing funds for athletics inspired California Casualty Chairman and CEO Beau Brown to establish the grant program in honor of his father – Chairman Emeritus Tom Brown, a lifelong athlete and sportsman. The senior Brown experienced firsthand the complementary relationship between athletics and academics.
California Casualty has been CTA’s trusted source for home and auto insurance products for more than 60 years. Headquartered in San Mateo, CA, with Service Centers in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas, California Casualty is a 99-year-old company providing auto and home insurance products to educators, law enforcement, firefighters and nurses in 44 states. Learn more at www.calcas.com.
Name: Jody W. Profession: Registered Nurse (Home Health Nurse) Nominated by: Stephen N.
In December 2011, Jody W. saved a complete stranger’s life. As a Nurse, this wasn’t really something new; saving lives is in the job description. But this time was different; this time Jody saved a man’s life by giving him her kidney. Growing up, Jody saw the struggle of kidney disease and the life-saving power of organ donation first hand. Her close family members battled kidney disease, and several were given a new lease on life through organ donations. In July 2011, Jody put herself on a donation transplant list as a non-directed donor. Not even 5 months later, she was cleared to donate and matched with a recipient. In December, moments before her surgery, Jody got to meet the recipient of her kidney and his family. He is now doing well and on December 8th, 2012, Jody and the recipient celebrated their 1-year transplant anniversary! Jody is also very dedicated to international health and has been on 13 mission trips in Central America. She says she plans to use any prize money from Nominate a Hero on her next trip to Honduras!
Jody, the recipient of her kidney, and their families on the day of the operation.
Jody and the recipient looking GREAT 6-months post-surgery!
Name: Keven R. Profession: Sheriff’s Deputy Nominated by: Joel H.
Deputy Keven R. was on patrol in Dallas when he happened to notice something peculiar: a car’s brake lights sticking out of a lake. He immediately drove down to the reservoir, pointed his patrol car’s headlights across the water’s surface and got out of his car. That’s when he realized that the car was slowly sinking- with two young women trapped inside. Deputy Keven R. immediately took off his utility belt and waded into the freezing water. He then swam to the car and shattered the car window’s glass. Inside, the two women were beating on the window, begging for help and telling him that they could not swim. He pulled both women out of the vehicle, ‘bear-hugging’ them as he swam them back to safety. Rowan barely got both women to shore before the car was completely submerged. Amazingly, the entire ordeal was captured on the Deputy’s patrol car dash cam. Check it out below:
Deputy Keven Rowan
Name: Bradley H. Profession: Volunteer Firefighter & EMT, Full-time EMT Nominated by: Joyce H.
Brad got his start in firefighting as volunteer at only 18-years-old. Now, he serves as a full-time EMT while still volunteering his time as both an EMT and Firefighter. In March of 2011, Brad was called to a residential fire. When he arrived, there was already heavy smoke coming from the home. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Brad and his team bravely entered the home–without gear–to rescue a bed-ridden woman trapped on the second floor. Within minutes, Brad and crew had the patient secured in an ambulance and on her way to the hospital. For his heroic action and quick-thinking, Brad was awarded the Medal of Valor.
Brad H. receiving a Medal of Valor and Lifesaving from his Fire Chief.
Name: Mrs. Ridge Profession: Educator Nominated by: Vicky P., Debra P., Ginny B., and Zena B. (Parents of current and previous students)
Parents of Mrs. Ridge’s students simply cannot say enough about the impact this inspiring educator has on their children, both academically and personally. They note her ‘incredible spirit, kindness, generosity and excellence as a teacher and citizen.’ Comparing her teaching abilities to being ‘able to leap tall building in a single bound,’ they shared all the ways her dedication and innovation has inspired their children to develop a love for learning. Mrs. Ridge is known for the family-like atmosphere she fosters in her classroom and unique ability to tailor a lesson plan to a diverse group of students by truly getting to know each of her students. She has also been known to dip into her own pocket to make sure she can give her students the very best despite budget cuts in her school district, even going so far as to provide lunches for students that would otherwise go without and donating used clothes from her own home to her students’ families. This educator is truly viewed as a ‘hero’ and ‘angel’ by her students and their families.
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