Induction ceremonies begin next week for the National Teachers Hall of Fame.
Part of the annual activities include the rededication of the National Memorial to Fallen Educators on June 20, and there will by nine people to be honored:
*Annie Louise Keller, 25, teacher at Centerville (Illinois) Country School, killed by tornado debris on April 19, 1927.
*Christopher J. Trakimas, 61, boiler mechanic, Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) School District, died May 18, 2016, after a workplace explosion.
*Nohema Graber, 66, Spanish teacher, Fairfield (Iowa) High School, killed Nov. 2, 2021.
*Kevin Garrison, 56, maintenance supervisor, Elkhorn (Nebraska) Public Schools, died Sept. 4, 2024, in a construction incident.
*Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 52, both math teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, killed in a school shooting on Sept. 4, 2024.
*Leah Seneng, 60, art teacher, Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos, California, died Nov. 22, 2024, from a rabid bat bite sustained on school property.
*Erin M. West, 42, teacher, Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, died in a school shooting on Dec. 16, 2024.
*Carol L. Mendiola-Mooers, 48, school counselor, Bering Strait (Alaska) School District, died in a Feb. 7, 2025, plane crash en route to visit with students.
Meanwhile, two educators honored last year are waiting for their names to be engraved because the tablets on site are full:
*Dan Marburger, 56, principal, Perry (Iowa) High School, died Jan. 14, 2024, after a school shooting.
*Ryan Lantz, 52, teacher and coach, Liberty High School in West Virginia, died Feb. 20, 2024, after being struck by a car in the school parking lot.
The memorial was established in 2013 after the Sandy Hook school shooting. One hundred eighty-nine names have been engraved, and fundraising is underway to buy, engrave and install a fourth tablet. Currently, $30,000 is in hand or pledged with a goal of $50,000. Click here for the crowdfunding link.
