WASHINGTON, D. C. -- Oberlin High School’s Kurt Russell, who was this week named “2022 National Teacher of the Year” by the Council of Chief State School Officers, will be honored at the White House next week by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
The White House says Russell will visit the White House next Wednesday and deliver remarks along with Biden, the First Lady and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
Russell, who grew up in Oberlin, has taught history and African American history at the high school for the past 25 years. During his first year at the school, he helped develop an African American history course for students. He later collaborated with a music teacher to create a class called Black Music in the African Diaspora that covers blues, jazz, and R&B.
He is also the boy’s varsity basketball coach at Oberlin. His team finished the season with a 16-6 record and a Lorain County championship. In addition, he serves as faculty advisor for the student-led Black Student Union, whose work has led to positive impacts for students across racial groups.
The organization that issued the award says Russell was first inspired to become a teacher in middle school when he encountered his first Black male teacher. As 2022 National Teacher of the Year, Russell says he plans to advocate for classrooms to better reflect the students within them — from a curriculum that reflects their backgrounds and identities to a more diverse teaching profession.
“Kurt’s extensive career shows the power of educators to shape the lives of students from the classroom to extracurricular activities to the basketball court,” said a statement from CCSSO Chief Executive Officer Carissa Moffat Miller. “Dedicated educators like Kurt will be key to helping students recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and set them up for success in college and careers. CCSSO has been honored to support excellent educators through the National Teacher of the Year Program since the first National Teacher of the Year was recognized 70 years ago.”
The organization says that every year, exemplary teachers from each state, U.S. extra-state territories, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity are selected as State Teachers of the Year. From that group, a selection committee composed of 17 individuals and education organizations chooses a National Teacher of the Year.
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