Members of Kappa Delta Pi: Iota Chapter, the international honor society in education at Emporia State University, is providing mask trees to be set up around the Emporia State University campus over the next few weeks. Each tree is stocked with CDC-approved, individually packaged, reusable masks.

In spite of a school year that was interrupted and adapted to online instruction, a handful of Kansas teachers were able to persevere to achieve the highest honor of the teaching profession.

For 28 years, the National Teachers Hall of Fame has marked American Education Week with a live auction to raise funds for the June induction of five educators to the Hall of Fame. The 2020 auction — the 29th — is on Thursday, Nov. 19.

Americans, regardless of their age, spend a significant amount of time involved in sport and recreational activities. This has led to a trillion-dollar industry. As this industry continues to grow, there is a need to develop effective leaders who can meet the demands of competitive and evolving markets.

The Kansas Master Teacher program at Emporia State University is another temporary casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic after the award committee decided to suspend the awards for the 2020-21 academic year.

“Children are not robots, what happens in their lives outside of school — particularly at this time — impacts their ability to learn,” said Melissa Gerleman, instructor in the Department of Elementary Education, Early Childhood, and Special Education. With an ever-growing awareness of students needing their feelings addressed for learning to occur, Gerleman worked with colleagues to develop coursework for educators wanting to help students.

The Teachers College at Emporia State is nationally recognized as a leading institution in teacher preparation in the country while the Hornet Athletic programs historically compete on the national level in NCAA Division II.

Emporia State University has received a grant from the Department of Education/ Rehabilitation Services Administration to train vocational rehabilitation professionals whose goals are to help individuals with disabilities prepare for and find meaningful work.

Medical settings — including support centers, clinics, and hospitals — can benefit through a program to put patients at ease using art therapy.

The five new inductees to The National Teachers Hall of Fame have amassed a total of 135 years of classroom teaching, and, as always, they represent the great things happening in American education.