Teachers Hall of Fame Honoring Teachers for Over Thirty Years

I am going to make a bold statement: Everyone has a favorite teacher. That teacher might have been understanding, supportive, patient, kind, inspiring, demanding, funny, all of the above, or some of the above. Aside from a candle, apple, mug or other small gift, that teacher has no idea how deeply you were affected; indeed, you may not have realized how important that one teacher was until much later in your life.


There are a great many outstanding teachers in the United States. Over the years, thousands of teachers positively impact their students, parents, and peers. The National Teachers Hall Fame was created in 1989 to provide nationwide recognition of outstanding educators in K-12 schools.
The mission of NTHF is to recognize and honor exceptional career teachers, encourage excellence in teaching, and preserve the rich heritage of the teaching profession in the United States.

The vision of The National Teachers Hall of Fame is to be a prominent national organization that enhances the public’s awareness of the vital role of education in society by working collaboratively with national education organizations and building linkages with other national teacher recognition programs. The Hall of Fame will recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of exceptional career teachers, preserve their careers in museum and virtual formats, and utilize their skills and experiences to elevate teacher quality and student learning through integrated programming.
The Hall of Fame annually honors five teachers who have demonstrated commitment and dedication to teaching our nation’s children. Anyone can nominate an educator, and self-nominations are encouraged and welcomed. Each nominee must meet the following criteria:

• Twenty (20) or more years of full-time pre-K-12 teaching experience.
• May be retired, or no longer teaching.
• Must hold/have held a valid teaching certificate/license from the state in which they are teaching or taught.
• Bachelor’s Degree or higher.
• Be living and able to attend the induction ceremonies in Washington D.C. in May and in Emporia, KS in June. 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to nominate a teacher who was significant in your life? The process for 2022 will be announced soon. For more information, click here.


The NTHF Museum is located on the campus of Emporia State University in Kansas. The Museum includes a gallery of honored teachers, a Wall of Fame, a one-room schoolhouse, and a display of classroom miniatures through the centuries.  The NTHF Museum accepts donations of school memorabilia in order to preserve the heritage of the education profession and to provide hands-on learning opportunities to visitors.

Director Carol Strickland with Greta Nagel at entrance to one-room school.

Inside photo of one-room school-house
at Hall of Fame campus.

Photo of classroom miniature, one of many, at the Hall of Fame.

An additional feature of the NTHF is the National Memorial to Fallen Educators which honors teachers who “have perished in the line of duty from accidents, violence or from the global coronavirus pandemic. Some lost their lives while protecting students. All of them left this earth heroes.” The earliest honoree is Enoch Brown who died in 1764.

As of May 3, 2021, at least 933 active and retired K-12 educators and personnel have died of COVID-19. Of those, 265 were active teachers.

There is a national Memorial to Fallen Educators and it is about to add 10 new names

Teaching and preparing children for the future may be the most important occupation of all. We all know it is not an easy job and its not a career that usually leads to great monetary wealth. But the passion, commitment and humanity that our best educators bring to the classroom should be recognized on local, state and national levels. Experiencing gifted teachers and honoring them just might entice young people to enter the profession.


References:
https://www.nthf.org/about-us.html
https://www.nthf.org/
https://www.echo-pilot.com/article/20140804/NEWS/140809940
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/educators-weve-lost-to-the-coronavirus/2020/04
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2018/06/19/there-is-a-national-memorial-for-fallen-educators-and-it-is-about-to-add-10-new-names/