Five teachers across the country recently found out they’ve been selected for induction into Emporia’s National Teachers Hall of Fame.
Representatives from the hall of fame and its corporate sponsors joined state and local educational leaders at an assembly or reception in each inductee’s school district to make the announcement.
This year’s inductees include:
- Kenneth Bingman — ninth- to 12th-grade ap and honors biology, Blue Valley West High School, Overland Park.
- Patrice McCrary — kindergarten/first grade, Cumberland Trace Elementary School, Bowling Green, Ky.
- Leslie Nicholas — seventh-grade English at Wyoming Valley West Middle School, Kingston, Penn.
- Jerry Parks — seventh-grade social studies, Georgetown Middle School, Georgetown, Ky.
-Steve Rapp – 10th to 12th-grade physics, astronomy, engineering and robotics, A. Linwood Holton Governor’s School, Abingdon, Va.
The selected teachers will come to Emporia June 18 and 19 for a series of induction events. The stories of their careers will be on permanent display at The National Teachers Hall of Fame gallery in Emporia. They will receive gifts and mementos, including $1,000 in educational materials from Pearson Education, a signet ring and lapel pin presented by Herff Jones, a $1,000 college scholarship to a student in their district pursuing a degree in teaching and a cast bronze bell tower award from The National Teachers Hall of Fame.
The National Teachers Hall of Fame was founded in Emporia in 1989 to honor elementary and secondary teachers — and the teaching profession — through a recognition program and museum. Nominees must be certified public or non-public schoolteachers, active or retired, with at least 20 years of experience in teaching grades prekindergarten through 12.
The hall of fame has been endorsed by nearly every major professional educational organization. Annual induction recognition takes place in Emporia and includes speaking with high school students at the Future Teachers Academy, community events, an educational roundtable discussion and a banquet and induction ceremony.
“The selection committee is comprised of representatives from educational organizations, NTHF members, and corporate sponsors,” said Jenny Harder, director of induction and recognition. “The committee evaluates the nominees on responses to questions regarding their professional profile, their teaching both inside and outside the classroom, educational issues and accountability.”
Since the first induction ceremonies in 1992, 85 educators from 34 states and the District of Columbia have been inducted. This year’s class of inductees represents the 18th anniversary of NTHF induction ceremonies.
The National Teachers Hall of Fame is sponsored by The New York Times Knowledge Network, Herff Jones and Pearson Education.
Biographies of the five teachers will be posted at www.nthf.org.
A list of current Hall of Fame members and schedules for the 18th Annual Induction may be found on the web site or by calling the hall of fame.
kidztchr7 (anonymous) says...
Ken, Patrice, Leslie & Steve--as a member of the 2009 Hall of Fame team, I look forward to meeting you all!
Jerry Parks
April 22, 2009 at 5:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mrnick (anonymous) says...
I am also looking forward to our time together in Emporia.
Les Nicholas
April 23, 2009 at 9:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )