Exceptional educators will be honored this week as the National Teachers Hall of Fame inducts 10 new members. Two classes of five inductees each will be honored, the first in-person events after the COVID pandemic canceled the schedule in 2020.
In Emporia this week are the members of the Class of 2020:
- Andrew Beiter, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Springville Middle School in Springville, New York
- Dr. Melissa Collins, a second grade teacher at John P. Freeman Optional School in Memphis, Tennessee
- Donna Gradel, a retired 10th- through 12th-grade Environmental Science teacher at Broken Arrow High School in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. She is now dean of academics and innovation at Summit Christian Academy.
- Thomas Knab, a K-4 visual arts teacher at Dodge Elementary School in East Amherst, New York
- Jamil Siddiqui, a 9th- through 12th-grade mathematics teacher at East Bridgewater High in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
and Class of 2022:
- Sergio de Alba, a sixth-grade teacher at R.M. Miano Elementary School in Los Banos, California
- Robert Fenster, a 10th- through 12th-grade social studies teacher at Hillsborough High in Hillsborough, New Jersey
- Leila Kubesch, an 8th- through 12th-grade TESOL and Spanish teacher at Norwood High School in Norwood, Ohio
- Kareem Neal, a 9th- through 12th-grade special education teacher at Maryvale High School in Phoenix, Arizona
- Christopher Poulos, a 9th- through 12th-grade Spanish teacher at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, Connecticut
Inductees have a full schedule through Friday night of events around Emporia. These are events open to the public:
Wednesday, June 15
- Class of 2022 Round Table Webinar, livestreamed at emporia.edu/live, 1:30 to 3 p.m.
- Trivia Challenge (inductees vs. Emporia teams), Lyon County History Center, 711 Commercial St., third floor, 8 p.m.
Thursday, June 16
- Emporia Municipal Band Concert, Fremont Park, 7 to 9 p.m.
- Inductees will participate in the children’s march and the Chicken Dance
- National Teachers Hall of Fame hosts “The Haught and Cold Event” sponsored by Steve and Nina Haught of Emporia Orthodontics — Braum’s ice cream sandwiches and Hostess Twinkies to the first 200 people.
Friday, June 17
- Rededication ceremonies for National Memorial to Fallen Educators, 18th Avenue + Merchant Street, 10 a.m.
- Induction Ceremonies for Class of 2020 and Class of 2022, KSTC Ballroom in Memorial Union, 7:15 to 9:30 p.m.
- Livestream available at emporia.edu/live.