While there will be no National Teachers Hall of Fame induction this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hall of Fame is still busy as ever thanks to several new exciting developments.
Hall of Fame Director Carol Strickland joined KVOE’s Talk of Emporia Friday to discuss those developments in depth. Strickland reminded listeners that this upcoming week would be the typical start of induction activities for the 2020 Hall of Fame class.
However; as the coronavirus altered the academic year, it also pushed the 2020 class induction to next June with the official inductees to be announced this fall. While Strickland didn’t give up the names of the five new members of the Hall of Fame she did tell KVOE that the five newest members of the Hall of Fame represent four separate states.
Along with the annual banquet and other associated induction activities, the annual rededication of the National Memorial to Fallen Educators was put on pause when the COVID-19 pandemic began. At this time, Strickland says discussions on a ceremony of some kind will be a major talking point during the Hall of Fame Board of Trustees’ annual meeting on Thursday.
Along with the addition of new names to the stone tablets on the ESU campus, Strickland says there are plans to create a separate memorial for educators who have passed due to coronavirus in the past four months. According to Strickland around 300 educators have passed due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
In the meantime, the Hall of Fame building remains closed to the public, however, the Hall of Fame is still accepting donations to assist with all of its annual activities. Strickland understands now is a difficult financial time for many across the state and the country, but asks anyone who is able to donate to consider doing so.
If you would like to donate to the National Teacher’s Hall of Fame you may do so by visiting their website www.NTHF.org, mailing donations to 1 Kellog Circle, box4017 in Emporia or by calling Strickland at 757-6385.
