Juliana Urtubey is a special education teacher at Booker Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada. Having experience of over a decade, being an educator for kindergarten through fifth grade and her attempts to improve learning outcomes for her students, landed Urtubey the ward for 2021 National Teacher of the Year.

The Council of Chief State School Officers recognized Urtubey as the winner of the national award. She became the first woman since 2005 of Latin American descent and the very first Nevada state teacher to have won the award. The council CEO Carissa Moffat Miller told NBC News, “Juliana Urtubey exemplifies the dedication, creativity and heart teachers bring to their students and communities.” 

Urtubey has been named Ms. Earth (originally “Ms. Earth-to-bey,” a pun on her last name) with much love, by her students for her efforts to beautify schools with gardens. She along with her students formed a garden club called “Gnomies” along with a mini farmer’s market. 

Urtubey said, “We, as teachers, are much more open to this self-paced learning, this flipped classroom, which has been an invitation for students who think and learn differently.”

Starting from individualizing lessons, tending to the emotional and behavioral needs of her students to spending hours with struggling pre-K kids, helping fifth-graders and strategizing with teachers, Urtubey does it all.

Advertisement

The award is usually presented at the White House by the President but due to the pandemic the ceremony has been delayed. This did not stop the First Lady, Jill Biden, from congratulating Urtubey during a surprise visit to her classroom. Being an educator herself, the First Lady knows the struggles and importance of the education system. The First Lady said, while appreciating Urtubey’s work, “She (Urtubey) is just the epitome of a great teacher, a great educator.”

During her childhood, having had troubles in finding a good school and correct learning environment, made Urtubey realise the importance of educators and the right classroom. This inspired her to become a teacher herself and work with differently abled students. She said, “There’s always strengths to find, and so once you find those strengths, you start there.”

ScooNews wishes Juliana Urtubey, Ms. Earth, heartfelt congratulation on winning the National Teacher of the Year 2021 award!

Advertisement

Annamma Lucy is an Indian origin school teacher in the UAE. She teaches social studies subject to grade 7-8 at GEMS Our Own English High School in Sharjah. She is one of the 6 regional winners of the regional category of the World Prize, Cambridge University Press’ 2021 Dedicated Teacher Awards, for the Middle East and East region North Africa.

With an experience of over two decades in teaching, Lucy has been determined to do more than teaching a subject to her students. This is why when presented with a difficult situation like the pandemic she created a free virtual ‘Learning Journey’ program for students. 

For her online learning portal, Lucy invited experts and colleagues from many fields to mentor the students. The children were taught art, coding, augmented reality videos, public speaking and soft skills. Children of other schools who learned about this platform and were interested to join were given the privilege. 

Apart from creating a virtual learning space Lucy financially helps disadvantaged students in Africa. She told The Gulf News, “When a friend of mine informed me of the plight of the students in Tanzania, I found out that they did not have chairs to sit on in class nor food to eat, I pledged to support it financially and I do it every month. I instil values ​​in my eager learners to give a helping hand to the less fortunate, to make them smile.”

Having lost her parents at a very young age Lucy was brought up and taught by Good Shepherd nuns in India. According to her, as a teacher, she tries to provide the same love and care to her students as she received from her teachers. 

Advertisement

A big congratulation to Annamma Lucy from ScooNews, educators like her, are the crowned jewels of the education community!

Shannon Newbie is a teacher in northeastern Philadelphia with a decade long experience in teaching. He teaches video production and multimedia at Abraham Lincoln High School.

He recently launched a comic ‘Munch’ which is supposed to be the first of a 12 comic book series. He is receiving much recognition for his work, the comic is of the sci-fi genre. It is based on the life of an alien on planet Earth where he crashed during an intergalactic war. This alien initially decide on eating the people of the planet and rule on them. But later, the alien learns to empathise with the people and has a change of heart.

This is not the first experience with story forming and scripting for Newbie, he has taught his students about filmmaking, broadcast journalism, audiovisual communication, and multimedia art. He said, “I really enjoy teaching students about art and providing space and support to discover themselves in the classroom.”.

His love for comics is rooted in his childhood, since his first time reading a comic book he wanted to write one himself. His dream came true when he launched ‘Munch’ the first of 12 more comics to go.

Newbie tells The Philadelphia Tribune about his comic, “Munch is a black-and-white science fiction novel. This book focuses on empathic ideas and bringing together those who are on the two sides of the discussion for improvisation.”

Advertisement

According to the author, the story has satire along with family values and friendship lessons. The reason for Newbie to be specific about the moral lesson his comic gives is because of his students. As a teacher Newbie is aware of what a child of a particular age should and should not read in the comics, his books are a reflection of the teacher he is.

Jose Villarruel, a teacher from California, recently received a 27,000/- dollar cheque from his former student named Steven Nava. Nava found 77-year-old Mr. Villarruel living in a car and immediately decided to turn his situation around. After helping the teacher in his capacity, he then took to Twitter to share the unfortunate story asking for help. 

TWITTER FRIENDS PLEASE HELP! every morning/ night I’ve always noticed this older man that would stay out in his car constantly at this parking lot near my house even when the weather was bad. He looked familiar and I’m sure alot of y’all have had him as a substitute in Fontana… pic.twitter.com/3hFpIAOMCO

— stvnna ⚡️ (@thesteven7) March 6, 2021

Advertisement

Mr. Villarruel has been a teacher all his life but when the pandemic hit and schools were forced to shutdown, his working hours were cut into half and so was his salary. This directly resulted in him losing his home and he was forced to live in his old run-down car. Luckily, when Nava found out about him, he formed a GoFundMe page to raise $27,000 for his dear teacher in distress

It was Mr. Villarruel’s 77th birthday when Nava presented him with a cheque and told him how his old students and some compassionate strangers on the internet came together to crowdfund the amount. 

“I’m still trying to digest the entire experience, it’s extraordinary, totally unexpected,” Mr. Villarruel told The News Outlet. 

Nava’s kind gesture is clearly a reciprocating result of Mr. Villarruel’s teachings during their classroom days. The value this educator created years ago has now come back to him in the form of love and respect that he truly deserves. 

Advertisement

Wendy Davison is a primary teacher in Norwich, England, with over twenty-eight years of teaching experience. Practising in Bignold Primary School, her love for students and books recently inspired her during the pandemic to publish a children's storybook. 

Mrs. Davison and her husband own a big blue Mercedes bus that could be used as a travelling home. But since the pandemic had everything locked down for the majority of 2020, they could not set out for an adventure themselves. This did not mean that Mrs. Davison would not let her creativity take a ride on the bus. 

She had a life-long dream of writing and publishing a book, what better than a book for her students, she thought! And so, during the pandemic, she sat down and created ‘Ernie’s Journey.’ Earnie is the name of the big blue bus she owns. She made the van the main character of the book which is a rhyming adventure story through Norwich for children. She also used the book for storytime with her students which they absolutely loved! 

‘Ernie’s Journey' is said to be a celebration of local areas of interest in Norwich City, which the children may also look forward to searching for the hidden canary on every page. The book is written and designed solely by Mrs. Davison. Talking about it with Eastern Daily Press, she said, “I’m not an artist, but I persevered and had many happy hours drawing, painting, thinking and researching how to improve my skills. Although my computer skills are generally quite basic, I muddled through and used photoshop to improve my designs. Eventually family and friends encouraged me to publish my book and again, I self-taught myself to learn how to do this.”

It is rumoured that the book, after being proven a hit amongst children, might have more adventures to come. Clearly, Mrs. Davison’s life-long dream is making us and a lot of children happy.

Advertisement

The latest 2020 animation film ‘Soul’ is produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The protagonist, Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx), however is not all animation and fiction. He is based on a teacher from Middle School 74 in Bayside, Queens, New York, named Dr. Peter Archer, who retired recently and is the actual soul of the movie ‘Soul.’

“It began with Pixar research,” Dr. Archer tells TODAY. “They found me out and conducted several trips to New York and brought me on board as a consultant to authenticate things a bit, because I am a middle school band teacher and I am also a professional musician.”

Pixar got in touch with Archer and observed his classes. In fact, they even measured the classroom to make the movie’s classroom look as realistic as possible. Archer says that it is his classroom (modified) that is shown at the beginning of the movie. It is also his expertise they needed since he has taught for over 30 years as a school band teacher. And since he is also a performing musician, he talked to them about handling both, teaching and performing, making it one of the reasons Pixar was interested in his expertise. "So they wanted to understand how I balanced both a career as a performer and an educator as well,” he says.

Having graduated from the music program at Queens College, Archer wanted to work with a symphony orchestra. Becoming a teacher was a happy accident when he was given an internship offer. “People have this notion that people who can’t play teach … it’s a negative stigma of sorts attributed to musicians not able to find employment,” Archer says. He was held back for a moment because of this stigma but then took the internship and loved teaching while still continuing to perform. 

His experience not only helped the moviemakers but also his students. “The fact I was out there and performing at the same time, and the fact I could bring in the reality and make things really interesting for them [the students] … that is so powerful,” Archer explains. 

Advertisement

This film is the immortal acknowledgement for a teacher, for Archer. Undoubtedly, the educator community will never forget and neither will the students!

‘Zero Contact Mohalla School’ is located near the municipal primary school in Wadgaon ward, Chandrapur, Maharashtra. The headteacher here is Pradeep Deshmukh, a corporator/local politician, who’s also the brain behind this initiative. 

Deshmukh, who is well-known for his innovative enterprises, is the reason this school began the previous year. He worries about the education of children who belong to low-income families because, unlike children of private schools, they could not afford to attend online classes. Due to school closure, these ‘mohalla’ kids suffered a huge loss in studies which is why Deshmukh himself decided to start taking classes.

“While students of private schools are attending online classes, these children from poor strata of society are completely cut-off from studies. Even as schools are shut to prevent physical contact among students, these children can be seen playing together against all Covid norms,” said Deshmukh. 

Deshmukh, along with other volunteer teachers, begins school every day at 8 am and teaches children from pre-primary to grade 8 till 10 am. According to him, this school was the pilot for this kind of project and he plans on developing more such ‘Mohalla Schools’ in his ward for underprivileged students. His attempts saw great enthusiasm from the kids as well as the parents since the beginning of the school saw over 80 children craving studies. In a country where politics is known to be infamous for bringing immense trouble, Deshmukh’s endeavours have become a light bringer for these children during these difficult COVID times.

Advertisement

2020 saw more than a lot of destruction. It saw how resilient the education community can be and to what lengths a teacher would go to teach their students. Balaji Jadhav, a Zilla Parishad teacher in Vijay Nagar, Maharashtra, who had 40 children in his small classroom, found an innovative way to teach. Jadhav’s students come from lower-income families and could not afford smartphones and gadgets to keep learning like the rest of the world. But he didn’t let a small thing like money come in between him and his teaching and hence, decided to keep the learning going on via conference calls. 

Jadhav started calling 10 children at a time and would teach them on calls, and he would use storytelling as the way of teaching. 

In the beginning, he would call his students in the evening as well and ask them to narrate the previously told stories, the older students would get writing the story as assignments. Jadhav is now making up story learning material for educational topics and also recording them for children of neighbouring Zillas. This teacher does not only want to help his own students but is offering the stories to other teachers and students who may benefit from his and his students’ recorded stories.

For his efforts, he was recognised internationally when he won the international HBN Creativity & Inclusive Awards announced on 24 December 2020. About 2500 entries from 87 nations were sent for the award that appreciates ideas for creativity and innovation or traditional knowledge practices. Only 11 participants could win the award and Balaji Jadhav, a teacher from a small Zilla in Maharashtra, India, won hearts with his practices! We’re thrilled and proud! 

Advertisement

The list includes The Gates Foundation, Sonu Sood, Sridhar Vembu, Michelle Obama, Manish Mundra, Ratan Tata, and Roshni Nadar Malhotra

Who: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bio says: We’re impatient optimists working to reduce inequality

X-Factor on the internet: Melinda Gates directly speaking to the audience, sharing her inspirations and why we need to take immediate actions to protect human capital that comprises health, education, economic opportunity and voice. 

Viral post: “The foundation has committed a total of $1.75 billion to the COVID-19 response. This figure includes commitments announced this year, funds channelled from other foundation programs, and financing to make products affordable and accessible in low- and middle- income countries.”

Advertisement

Current take-on: Women workers who’re suffering disproportionate effects from COVID-19 

Favourite hashtag: #GivingTuesday

Top 5 accounts followed: UN Women, Toyin Saraki, Nikhil Taneja, Brene Brown, Amika George

ScooNews loves: The videos of the leaders, christened as Goalkeepers of the Sustainable Development Goals by the foundation, talking about accelerating the progress toward ending poverty and fighting inequality

Follow at: @gatesfoundation (on Twitter, IG & FB)

Who: Sonu Sood

Advertisement

Bio says: OUR SERVICES ARE FREE. नि:शुल्क सेवा

X-Factor on the internet: His hope-filled and emphatic replies to everyone tweeting to him

Viral post: Him gifting tractor to Andhra Pradesh family after a video of girls pulling plough went viral and arranging for conveyance for the low-income migrants who were stuck in the metro cities when the lockdown was announced in India.

Current take-on: His book ‘I am no Messiah’

Favourite hashtag: #KhudKamaaoGharChalaao

Top 5 accounts followed: Narendra Modi, Ilaaj India, UNDP India, Barkha Dutt, Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Advertisement

ScooNews loves: He’s been listed under '2020 hottest vegetarians' by PETA India

Follow at: @SonuSood (Twitter), @ActorSonuSood (FB), sonu_sood (IG)

Who: Sridhar Vembu

Bio says: CEO, Zoho

X-Factor on the internet: Glimpses of his everyday life which includes photographing native snakes and driving autorickshaws

Viral post: “On the subject of exams and grades. For kids coming in with very low self-esteem, as most poor rural kids do, exams just serve to confirm their already low feelings of self-worth. I can identify with it because I used to battle these emotions as a kid.”

Advertisement

Current take-on: Disadvantage in the present educational system in India

Favourite emoticon: ????

Top 5 accounts followed: Narasinga, Vincent Rajkumar, Varsha Joshi, Vani Kola, Ryan Bethencourt

ScooNews loves: He moved from San Francisco to a village 650 km away from Chennai, India, to start a school for children of low-income families during the pandemic

Follow at: @svembu (Twitter)

Who: Michelle Obama

Advertisement

Bio says: Girl from the South Side and former First Lady. Wife, mother, dog lover. Always hugger-in-chief.

X-Factor on the internet: Barack’s impromptu but lovely & candid appearances on her feed

Viral post: “…We’re all seeing what also happens to so many professional women, whether their titles are Dr., Ms., Mrs., or even First Lady: All too often, our accomplishments are met with skepticism, even derision. We’re doubted by those who choose the weakness of ridicule over the strength of respect. And yet somehow, their words can stick – after decades of work, we’re forced to prove ourselves all over again. Is this really the example we want to set for the next generation?”

Current take-on: Right to vote and girl education

Favourite hashtag: #IAmBecoming

Top 5 accounts followed: Obama Foundation, Dr. Jill Biden, Better Make Room, Valerie Jarrett, Girls Opportunity Alliance

Advertisement

ScooNews loves: Michelle Obama Podcast on Spotify

Follow at: @MichelleObama (Twitter), @michelleobama (IG)

Who: Manish Mundra

Bio says: Dreamer, Film Maker, Writer, Painter, Wildlife Photographer. @drishyamfilms – AnkhonDekhi/Masaan/Waiting/Dhanak/Newton/Rukh/Kaamyaab

X-Factor on the internet: Photos of wild animals from his travel diaries 

Viral post: When he delivered PPE kits in key hospitals of India ‘to fortify our Heroes,’ sent money to people who couldn’t afford surgeries due to the sudden lay-offs during the lockdown and raised money on social media to bring everyone together as a community

Advertisement

Favourite hashtag: #Wildlife

Top 5 accounts followed: Conde Nast Traveller, Sheryl Sandberg, Citizens Foundation, India Foundation, Daisy Gilardini

ScooNews loves: His Hindi poetry under the hashtag #मनकीबातें

Follow at: @ManMundra (Twitter), @mundramanish (IG)

Who: Ratan Tata

Bio says: Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons. Chairman, Tata Trusts

Advertisement

X-Factor on the internet: Heartwarming stories and photos of his adopted stray dogs

Viral post: When he committed 500 crore rupees for personal protective equipment for frontline workers, Corona testing kits, respiratory systems for emergency patients, and training of health workers.

Top 5 accounts followed: Tata Trusts, Anand Mahindra, Kalam Centre, The Wall Street Journal, Barack Obama

ScooNews loves: His throwback photos from his early entrepreneurship days

Follow at: @ratantata (IG), @RNTata2000 (Twitter)

Who: Roshni Nadar Malhotra

Advertisement

Bio says: Chairperson of HCL Technologies, India. Trustee – ShivNadar Foundation. In 2019, TEDx Speecher

X-Factor on the internet: Heartwarming photos and videos with students of Vidyagyan Residential School

Viral post: When the HCL Foundation awarded the ‘HCL Foundation Grant 2020’ to nine NGOs across the categories of Education, Healthcare and Environment receiving a grant of ₹5 crores each. The remaining six finalists across the three categories also received ₹25 lakhs each, taking the overall Grant to ₹16.5 crores.

Current take-on: Providing quality education to underprivileged students

Favourite hashtag: #HCL

Top 5 accounts followed: Malala, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Justin Trudeau 

Advertisement

What ScooNews loves: Her constant motivation for women to explore their career and contribute to the GDP of the country

Follow at: @roshninadarmalhotra (IG)

Ranjitsinh Disale, a teacher from Paritewadi, Solapur, teaching primary school kids, was announced the winner of The Global Teacher Prize 2020 on 3 December 2020. He’s been acknowledged for his unique teaching methods and for promoting girls’ education in his school’s district. Interestingly, he’s designed a quick-response (QR) coded learning system for students of his school. 

Even before winning the award when Disale was amongst the top 10 finalists, he had decided to share 50% of his prize money with his fellow finalists to support their incredible work at an off-chance if he wins. He said, “Teachers are the real change-makers who are changing the lives of their students with a mixture of chalk and challenges. They always believe in giving and sharing. And, therefore, I am very pleased to announce that I will share 50% of the prize money equally among my fellow top 10 finalists to support their incredible work. I believe, together, we can change this world because sharing is growing.” 

When Disale began his career, the school he went to for the first time was being held in a run-down building with not enough facilities or learning opportunities. He saw the books were in English, which was difficult for the children to understand. He not only translated the class textbooks into their mother tongue but also embedded them with unique QR codes to give students access to audio poems, video lectures, stories and assignments. For this, he himself learnt Kannad, the local language, for the sole purpose of accomplishing these tasks.

Recognising his work, earlier, he was given 2016 Innovative Researcher of the Year award by the Indian central government and National Innovation Foundation’s Innovator of the Year award in 2018. In fact, his school, too, received the Best School for the district in 2016. In addition, Disale was also recognised by the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, who wrote about his work as one of three stories from India in his book Hit Refresh.

While his dedication has so far brought full attendance to the school and increased learning outcome to 98% before completing the school year, he is also making sure to stop all the child marriage practices in the area. 

Advertisement