THE WCSS SNAVELY/MICHALKO AWARD
At its December 2016 meeting, the WCSS Board of Directors voted unanimously to rename The Robert J. Snavely Award. Beginning with the 2017 award, it will be called the Snavely/Michalko Award. This award is presented to a WCSS board member each year to recognize the contributions of the recipient for outstanding service to the social studies community over the years. Both Robert Snavely and Sally Jo Michalko were Executive Directors for WCSS for many years. Snavely was the curriculum director for social studies in the Appleton Area Public Schools and Michalko served the youngest students of the Waukesha Public Schools. Their spirit of service and leadership will be recognized each year through this award.
At its December 2016 meeting, the WCSS Board of Directors voted unanimously to rename The Robert J. Snavely Award. Beginning with the 2017 award, it will be called the Snavely/Michalko Award. This award is presented to a WCSS board member each year to recognize the contributions of the recipient for outstanding service to the social studies community over the years. Both Robert Snavely and Sally Jo Michalko were Executive Directors for WCSS for many years. Snavely was the curriculum director for social studies in the Appleton Area Public Schools and Michalko served the youngest students of the Waukesha Public Schools. Their spirit of service and leadership will be recognized each year through this award.
Snavely/Michalko Award Recipients
2024 Recipient-Melissa Collum
Melissa Collum attended her first WCSS conference 29 years ago. As a high school social studies educator she taught in WI, FL, and Kenya. For the past decade she served with the CORE Department at Viterbo University teaching courses in education, history, and servant leadership. Melissa also served as Viterbo’s first Director of DEI. For four years Melissa was chair of Educational Foundations at UW La Crosse, teaching courses in Educational Foundations and Global Education. As a WCSS member Melissa served in the capacity as president and long standing member of board of directors. Her work extends to the NCSS where she has served on the national board of directors and as member of the HOD. Melissa founded and co-chairs the NCSS Pre-service educators and LGBTQ and Allies communities. She co-chairs of the First-timers scholarship committee and is serving as co-chair for the 2024 national convention in Boston. Melissa is a Fulbright Recipient to Rwanda, University of Oxford Teacher Fellow, and is the recipient of many international and national fellowships. Melissa often presents at WCSS and NCSS and has presented with the UNHCR, the American Democracy Forum, USAID, and was invited to speak at International Day of the Women Conference, Denmark. One of her favorite honors was being chosen by Viterbo senior class to be the opening speaker for next year’s First Year students. Internationally, Melissa is a specialist in global educational evaluation. She works with countries, organizations, and schools in evaluating access to and the quality of education. A specialist in Central and East Africa, Melissa’s work extends to India, Asia, and Latin America. Currently, Melissa is working with the U.S. Embassy school in El Salvador. When she is overseas, Melissa volunteers with many organizations. Her efforts extend to the areas of menstrual health solutions and education, dental hygiene, medical exams, and taking genocide narratives. Melissa collects and brings used soccer balls and gently used school supplies to the schools she is evaluating. Often asked by her education students ‘How do I get to do what you do? Travel the world and work?’ Melissa’s response “It all started when I was required to give a presentation at WCSS with my S.S. methods professor. The right people saw me and one thing led to another . . . WCSS is where my international career really began.”
2023 Recipient- Carrie Carlson
Snavely -Michalko Award Carrie Carlson has been teaching Social Studies in Wisconsin for 23 years. She earned her bachelor's degree from Carthage College in History and Education and her Master’s of Education in Teaching and Learning from Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota. She has been able to share her passion with students while working at Medford, Eau Claire North and Altoona High Schools. Carrie was introduced to WCSS through a study tour for teachers to Germany in 2007. She was sold on the organization after attending and presenting at the conference in 2008. Carrie has served as a delegate, vice president, editor, and co-chair of membership throughout her tenure on the board. WCSS gave Carrie the opportunity to participate in the NCSS Summer Leadership Institute in Washington DC where she was able to meet and lobby Senators and Representatives for Social Studies education. In 2015, she was selected as a member of the Wisconsin State Superintendent’s Social Studies Advisory Council. In 2018, she was selected as a member of the Social Studies Standards Writing Committee and then helped vet standards-based questions for the Forward exam. She is currently helping develop guidance for Political Science standards. Outside of school, Carrie spends most of her time with her family, including her husband Dan, and daughters Isabel (16) and Serena (13). She loves traveling, coaching and watching her kids do whatever they love. Carrie is honored to be chosen for this award as she loved serving on the board with Sally Michalko, one of the most welcoming people who always made her smile. Carrie believes the best part of being on the board was learning from all the amazing people. She feels that because of them, she is a better teacher.
2022 Recipient Christine Kadonsky
Christine Kadonsky has been teaching US History at Wausau West since 2001. She was impressed by WCSS when she attended her first conference as a preservice teacher. Christine has served on the WCSS Board for 18 years, including roles as the Awards Committee Chair, Recording Secretary, Vice President, EdCamp organizer, conference presenter, and unofficial WCSS shutterbug. She was honored to be selected as the 2018 WCSS Distinguished High School Teacher of the Yera.
Christine completed her MA in history as a James Madison Fellow and later served as the 2010 James Madison Congressional Fellow. She has served as Teacher Fellow and Teacher Facilitator for teacher institutes at Mount Vernon. Christine has been recognized as the 2018 Herb Kohl Fellow, 2014 Wisconsin VFW High School Teacher of the Year, and 2010 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year from the Gilder Lehrman Institute.
Christine believes in the WCSS Mission to support and advocate for social studies education, teachers, and students. She continues to be grateful for the opportunity to work with outstanding educators--past and present WCSS Board members-- as we strive to fulfill the WCSS mission. Christine is honored to receive the WCSS Snavely/Michalko and she remembers fondly her dear friend Sally Michalko.
2021 Recipient Sherri Michalowkski
Sherri is currently in her 40th year of teaching. Thirty-three of those years have been teaching 8th-grade social studies for the Elmbrook School District in Brookfield. Sherri has an elementary education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She earned her master's degree in leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in 1998 and became a Nationally Board Certified educator in early adolescence social studies. Sherri has been a member of WCSS since 2013; since then, she has served as Southeast Delegate, President-Elect, President, and Past President.
Before her involvement in WCSS, Sherri served as a teacher consultant and co-coordinator of the Wisconsin State Geographic Bee for the Wisconsin Geographic Alliance. Currently, Sherri finds great fulfillment in collaborating with individuals entering the field of education. She works with student teachers from a range of colleges and universities, presents at local and national conferences, and teaches in Mount Mary's education program.
In 1012, the National Council for Geographic Education awarded Sherri their Distinguished Teaching Award. In 2018, the Wisconsin Association of Colleges for Teacher Education granted Sherri their Pre-Service Educator Mentor Award. In 2019, the School District of Elmbrook honored Sherri with the student-nominated Elmbrook Influential Educator Award.
Sherri has been married for 36 years to Ski, who is a retired special education teacher. They have two children: Alexandra, 26, and Nick, 25. In her free time, Sherri likes to spend time with her family and friends and loves every opportunity she can take to travel.
2020 Recipient-Pam Kaiser
Pam Kaiser has been teaching Social Studies in the state of WI for 30 years! Pam graduated from UW-Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in Broadfield Social Sciences and a minor in Political Science & Coaching. She also has her Master's degree from the University of Minnesota in Teacher Leadership. She teachers in the Osceola School District at the high school, teaching AP Psych, General Psych, Civics & World Wars. She also stays busy coaching Boys & Girls Golf as well as advising her History Club, the Capitals.
Pam was appointed to the WCSS Board of Directors in 1998 and began working with Membership at that time. She became the Membership Director in 2008. She feels blessed to work with awesome people on the Board as well as each of you here today. We are all volunteers on the WCSS Board of Directors, and if you have an interest in participating, please reach out to anyone on the WCSS Board.
Pam completed he National Board for Professional Teaching Standards: Adolescence and Young Adulthood/ Social Studies History in 2005, then renewed it again in 2016. She has also studied at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum through the Arthur and Rochelle Belfer National Conference for Educators. She encourages everyone to continue to grow as educators, enjoy your students and remember to "keep the social in social studies!" Thanks for attending the 2020 WCSS Virtual Conference and Keep Smiling!
2019 Recipient-Jeff Maves
Jeff Maves has been a social studies teacher in the state of WI for 18 years in the Milwaukee and La Crosse areas. He has a bachelor’s degree in Broadfield Social Sciences from the University of WI-Oshkosh and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Viterbo University. Jeff has spent 14 years as a high school teacher, as well as 4 years as a middle school teacher. Eight years ago Jeff was elected as a SW delegate while teaching at West Salem High School.
Prior to being elected to the board, he was a regular presenter at the WCSS state conference. Jeff became the assistant business manager unofficially in 2013 and became the first assistant business manager for WCSS when the position was added to the WCSS Constitution. He then became the WCSS Business Manager in 2017. Jeff also represented WCSS at the NCSS House of Delegates at the 2018 NCSS Conference. Jeff was selected to participate in the NCSS Summer Leadership Institute in Washington DC. During the week in Washington DC, he was able to meet and lobby the importance of Social Studies education with both Wisconsin US Senators, Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson.
Outside of the classroom, Jeff loves to travel and play golf and had the chance this past summer to walk the links of St. Andrews in Scotland, and is looking forward to attending the Masters this April. Jeff loved serving on the board with Sally Michalko and finds it a true honor to receive this award. He has stated how much of a privilege it is to receive this award citing that the former business manager and many friends and family friends have received this award. It is also a special award since his dad was a former WCSS board member.
2018 Recipient Chuck Taft
After a quarter century, Chuck Taft still loves to bring the past alive to his students and share his passion for teaching with his colleagues and fellow social studies professionals. His favorite part about teaching-and living-is learning. Every day is a new opportunity to help young people learn about the past, the world around them, and how they can merge the two to make a positive difference in the future. He loves to support and encourage independence and curiosity in his students as the develop the skills essential for success in future endeavors, inside and outside of school.
Chuck has taught in the 8th grade for 21 years at University School of Milwaukee, trying his best to change and improve each year. He has also been an adjunct social studies methods professor at Cardinal Stritch University since 2013, doing his best to get future educators excited about the social studies. A professional development addict, Chuck enjoys learning from and with educational professionals across the globe. He frequently presents locally, statewide through WCSS, and at the annual NCSS conference, and loves to use social media as a method to connect with and learn from the best of the best.
As a history guy, Chuck loves historical travel. Walking in the footsteps of history is the best way to learn about and appreciate the past, and he has been very fortunate to take historical trips to the South to study the Civil War and Civil Rights and visit France twice to learn and honor those that served in World War I and World War II. He joined a team of USM teachers on a service learning trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, traveling to historical and cultural locations and spending time with students at an orphanage and school. Besides learning, the best part of each trip is his ability to enrich the experiences of his students and school community through teaching and sharing.
Being involved in WCSS has been a highlight in his professional life. A transplanted Wisconsinite, he now calls the state home and feels honored to work with amazing educators on the state council. The annual conference in March is a highlight every year, as he gets to connect, share, and (most importantly) learn!
Social studies education is a great passion for Chuck, but not as much as spending time with his wife and three kids. He also enjoys sports, reading, movies, and proudly rooting for the Detroit Lions and Tigers.
Chuck is humbled to receive the Snavely Michalko Award and be recognized by his peers. He feels he learns much more from colleagues that he offers in return, and he is thankful to be surrounded by such amazing educators and people at USM and WCSS.
2017 Recipient-Joe Schmidt
Joe Schmidt has worked as an educator for the past twelve years. He has a bachelor's degree in Broadfield Social Studies/Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Masters in Education from Viterbo University. Joe spent nine years as a high school social studies teacher in Eagle River and Peshtigo, Wisconsin before taking the position of K-12 Social Studies Teacher Leader - Curriculum & Instruction for the Madison Metropolitan School District in 2014. Earlier this month, Joe moved to Maine after accepting the position of Regional Education Representative - Social Studies/High School Initiatives Specialist for the Department of Education in Augusta, Maine.
During the past ten years, Joe has presented sessions at each WCSS conference and served on the WCSS board as a delegate, vice-president, and is currently the WCSS Business Manager. He has also represented the WCSS at the NCSS House of Delegates and the NCSS Summer Leadership Institute while also presenting at NCSS, and serving as the chairperson of the NCSS Social Education Select Subcommittee.
In Wisconsin, Joe works with the State Superintendent's Social Studies Advisory Council and was part of the group that helped to vet the new Forward Exam. He has also worked with Wisconsin Media Lab and UW-Madison in supporting teachers around the teaching of Act 31 and the Wisconsin State Bar Association in creating educational resources about our court system.
Nationally, Joe has served for the past four years as a member of the iCivics Educator Network and for the past two years a member of the Teaching Tolerance Advisory Board. He participated in the fellows program at the Center for the Study of the American Constitution and represented Wisconsin as a fellow with the European Union Center for Excellence in Brussels, Belgium. Joe has also worked with Colonial Williamsburg to create new professional development opportunities for teachers in and around Madison.
Joe is excited for the next phase of his professional career to begin, but is humbled to be the first winner of the new Snavely/Michalko Award. He continues to be energized and inspired by the teachers he works with every day and the dedicated social studies professional around the state of Wisconsin. Joe is proud to represent Wisconsin for this award and wherever he may travel in the future as a proud Badger...On Wisconsin!
2016 Recipient-Rhonda Watton
Rhonda Watton has taught Social Studies at the middle school level for 24 years, beginning her career in Milwaukee Public Schools, and currently, teaching at Templeton Middle School in Sussex. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Carthage College and National Board Certification in Early Adolescence—Social Studies/History.
Rhonda has served as the grades 6-8 Social Studies Instructional Leader and Vertical Team Facilitator in her district. She serves as the immediate past president of the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies and past conference chairperson. She serves as the state co-coordinator for the National Geographic Bee and an active member of the steering and strategic plan committees for the Wisconsin Geographic Alliance. Last year, she was selected as a member of the Wisconsin State Superintendent’s Social Studies Advisory Council.
Nationally, Rhonda was awarded the 2012 National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) Distinguished Teacher Award, and was selected the 2013 NCSS Outstanding Social Studies Middle Level Teacher of the Year. She has presented sessions at NCSS conferences, was a C3 Frameworks Facilitator, a member of the NCSS Awards Committee and House of Delegates, has participated in the Summer Leader Institute, and was recently elected to the NCSS Board of Directors as the K-12 Delegate at Large. In 2015, she received the James Madison Foundation Fellowship to pursue a Master’s Degree in American History and Government.
In addition to being active in professional organizations, Rhonda continues to grow professionally as an educator. She has had the opportunity to attend several NEH and Gilder Lehrman summer institutes, taking her to such places as Mount Vernon, Fort Ticonderoga, Ford’s Theater, Lexington and Concord, and Boston and meeting and working with historians such as Gordon Wood and Joseph Ellis. She has been a teacher leader with the People to People Student Ambassador program for 15 years, preparing and traveling with high school students to many different countries of the world, including Australia, China, India and many places in Europe. Rhonda is a Colonial Williamsburg Master Teacher, a member of the James Madison Legacy project and the Freedom Foundations Middle School Education Program Committee, and is a reviewer for the Geography Praxis Exam.
2015 Recipient-Jennifer Morgan
Jennifer Morgan has spent her entire teaching career meeting the challenges of middle school students in western Wisconsin. She is currently finishing her 21st year teaching 8th Grade United States History in West Salem, WI. In addition to her time in the classroom, she worked in the curriculum department as the middle school instructional coach where she developed professional development opportunities for staff in the middle school and district-wide. She also developed the Elementary & Middle School Social Studies Methods class for Viterbo University. In 2012, she was named the Wisconsin Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Teacher of American history and travelled to China in 2013 as a Fulbright-Hayes Fellow through Towson University.
Jennifer has been active in social studies at the state and national levels too. She has served as a delegate, President-Elect, President and most recently Past-President of WCSS. During her time as President-Elect, conference keynoters included Free the Children Founders Marc & Craig Kielberger and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Shannon Galpin, founder of Mountain to Mountain. She has served as a member of the NCSS House of Delegates, chairs two communities, and has done several presentations at the national conference.
Outside of school, Jennifer likes to travel, often mixing new learning opportunities with pleasure, photography & reading. She would like to thank board members past and present who are the true unsung heroes behind WCSS. She would also like to extend a special thanks to Past-President Melissa Collum for her mentoring and support during those challenging years of conference planning.
2014 Recipient-Stephen Rose, Ph.D.
Stephen Rose is a Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and a recipient of the Edward M. Penson Distinguished Teaching Award. He takes great pleasure in teaching social studies methods courses, supervising clinicians and student teachers. At the graduate level, he teaches Social Studies curriculum and Educational Law courses for Masters Degree candidates.
Stephen has been active all of his professional life in various social studies organizations, which include the National Council for Social Studies where he served as chair of the then Citizenship Education and Technology Committees. He has published numerous articles in educational journals, made presentations at NCSS and WCSS, and has delivered and published papers at international conferences in Switzerland, Portugal and Greece.
Stephen served on the WCSS Board of Directors for over twenty years; during which he was Vice President, President-elect, and President. He remembers fondly working with Board members to design conferences that included disciplinary strands, organizations with global perspectives, and last but not least, poster sessions for pre-service teachers to introduce WCSS to the next generation of teachers.
During the latter years of his career, in addition to his continuing passion about educating democracy’s next generation of Social Studies teachers, he expanded his areas of interest to include Educational Policy and Educational Law. The former resulted in a general education course Educational Policy: Lies, Damn Lies and Education, and was taught to first semester freshmen. This rewarding experience also underscored the continuing need for all of us in social studies to teach the requisite knowledge, skills and dispositions associated with critically minded and engaged citizens.
2013 Recipient-Bobbie Malone, Ph.D.
Bobbie Malone, Ph.D., is the co-author of the Student Textbook, Teacher's Edition and Student Activity Guide for "Wisconsin: Our State, Our Story." She is the former director of the Office of School Services at the Wisconsin Historical Society (1995-2011). With a master's degree in elementary education, she taught school for ten years before taking a doctorate in American History. Bobbie has authored and edited many student books and teachers guides on Wisconsin history for the state's classrooms.
2012 Recipient-Michael Koren
Michael Koren, from suburban Milwaukee Wisconsin, is entering his 32nd year of teaching Social Studies, the last 30 years at Maple Dale School. Michael was named the 2010 National Middle School Teacher of the Year by the National Council of the Social Studies and the 2010 State of Wisconsin Distinguished Middle School Teacher of the Year by the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies. In addition, he was named a Herb Kohl Educational Scholar in 2008.
Michael has been very involved in the Social Studies community. He served back-to-back terms on the Board of Directors of the National Council for the Social Studies from 2004-2010. He has been on the executive board of the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies since 1994 and has been the treasurer of this group since 2000. Michael has presented many sessions at the annual conference of National Council for the Social Studies, and presents nearly every year at the annual conference for the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies. Michael has served and continues to serve as a consultant for various educational groups throughout the country and in the state of Wisconsin.
Michael has many interests including travel, cooking, and attending sporting events. He has been a high school basketball referee for the past 35 years and has season tickets to the Milwaukee Brewers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Michael and his wife Tova live in Glendale, Wisconsin.
2011 Recipient-Paul E. Schoenike
Paul E. Schoenike of Monroe served in a variety of capacities with WCSS during the 1980s. He began as a board member and then eventually served in leadership roles as vice president and president of the organization. As past president, he served as Exhibit Chair for the conference. He has attended all conventions since that time including NCSS regional and national conventions as a sectional presenter.
Paul earned his BS from UW-Oshkosh (’62) and his MST from UW-Platteville (’70). He enjoyed his entire teaching career with 7th and 8th grade students in Marshall (3 years) and Monroe (34 years). During his time in Monroe, Paul was blessed to work with a very compatible teaching partner, Gil Jelinek, for 30 years. He has mentored many future educators from UW-Platteville in his classroom. From the late 1960s through the early 1990s, Paul served on the Wisconsin State Curriculum Committee.
Paul is also an active member of the Wisconsin Geographic Alliance. During the summer of 1990, he had the opportunity to study at the National Geographic Society. From 1991-2004, he served as part of the WIGA Summer Institute’s staff. In 1999, he received the organization’s service award.
Other honors Paul has received include: the National Council for Geographic Education Teaching Award (’85) and a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Sierra Leone, West Africa (’85). His “Classroom Trip to Canada”, which details the many trips he took with students to Toronto, Canada, has been received at numerous U.S. and Canadian social studies conventions.
Since leaving the classroom, Paul has served as Adjunct Professor of Social Studies/Geography at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee and has taught a wide variety of topics at the Monroe Senior Center. Paul enjoys his role as husband to his wife of 48 years, Jean; father to Douglas and Paula; and “Grandpa” to four grandchildren. He serves as Church President and is an avid collector of model Lionel trains.
2010 Recipient-Jim Adams
Jim Adams is a member of the NCSS and the WCSS, having served as President and "webmaster" of the WCSS and delegate to the NCSS House of Delegates. He was the program chairman for the 2004 NCSS Great Lakes Regional Conference.
A Michigan native, Jim graduated from Michigan State University in 1971 with a degree in Broadfield Social Studies Education. He is now retired after teaching U.S. History and Social Studies for 35 years at Sevastopol High School in Door County. In addition to his teaching duties he also served as the Mock Trial Coach, Student Council Advisor, coordinated the selection of the Boys State and Girls State representatives and was the chair of the Social Studies Department.
Jim was a group leader for a People to People Student Ambassador delegation to the former Soviet Union and his family has hosted teachers for the Japan – Wisconsin Education Connection. His family
has also hosted foreign exchange students and group student exchanges through Rotary. He was named VFW Teacher of the Year by the local VFW Post. For many years Jim coached football, basketball, and track at Sevastopol.
He has done volunteer work for the Blue Mountain Project in Jamaica, helping establish a clinic and community center in Hagley Gap and has donated 69 pints of blood to the Red Cross blood drive.
Jim was on the Sturgeon Bay City Council for 8 years serving on the Finance Committee, Utilities Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Door County Library Board, and Park and Recreation Committee. Currently, Jim sells real estate in Door County and serves on his church finance council, the local Habitat for Humanity Board, and the executive committee of the Door County Democrats.
"I am proud to be given this award by my WCSS colleagues. It is humbling to be in the same company of so many dedicated social studies professionals," said Jim upon being named the recipient of the Snavely Award.
2009 Recipient-John Donnelly
John graduated from UW-Whitewater with B.S. in Economics, Sociology, and Broadfield Social Studies, and also did graduate work at UW-Whitewater, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Green Bay. He began teaching at Clintonville High School in Clintonville, Wisconsin in 1973 where he taught a variety of courses including, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, European Studies, Political Economy, and American Government. The Economics and Sociology courses were approved for students to receive advanced standing and dual credit by Fox Valley Technical College. He was also advisor to Student Council and National Honor Society, and coordinator for Waupaca County Student Government Day and the Laird Youth Leadership Conference.
In addition to his WCSS and NCSS membership, he is a past member of the Association of Secondary Economics Teachers and the Sociology Special Interest Group of the National Council fro the Social Studies.
John has coordinated the WCSS exhibit booth for about the last eight years promoting materials for WCSS and NCSS at conferences around the state such as the WEAC Fall Teachers Convention, the Northwestern Teachers Conference, and the Wisconsin Association of Middle Level Educators conference.
In his retirement he is doing some traveling, spending time at his cottage in northern Wisconsin, and serving as an Election Inspector for the City of Clintonville.
2008 Recipient-Jeff Newton
Jeff received his bachelor and masters degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. In Wausau, he taught World Geography at John Muir Middle School in his first year and at Horace Mann Middle School the next five years. In 1998 Jeff moved back home to Chippewa Falls where he has been teaching European Geography at the Chippewa Falls Middle School. He attended his first WCSS Geographic Alliance Conference in 1992 and joined WCSS in 1993. Both of these experiences, especially the people associated with them, led him to to become active in and learn from these organizations. Through these organizations, Jeff has been able to contribute to WIGA, NGS, WCSS, and the DPI. In the spring of 1999 Jeff was appointed Business Manager of WCSS and has since served in that position. Although the challenges are many, Jeff seems to enjoy his position as business manager and says he has learned on-the-job how to do it. "The feeling that you have everything covered is a false sense of security," he muses, "because, like teaching, everything can change in a minute." Nevertheless, Jeff has risen to the challenge on more than one occasion and has ably handled all the conference logistics. Married with three children, Jeff also has two cats, a basset hound, and three fish. He enjoys hunting and building projects in his spare time.
2007 Recipient- Randy Goree
After 15 years teaching middle school and high school social studies, which included 10 years in Racine and a semester in Japan, Randy Goree began teaching at UW–M. Randy has taught at UW–M for 18 years. He is currently the director of the EAA Social Studies program at UW-M. While at UW–M, Randy has been the director of the Woodrow Wilson Summer Institutes, and has been and continues to be the director of the ACT 31 program, faculty advisor to numerous honor societies, and chairs the EAA committee at UW–M.
Randy has been a long time member of WCSS. Starting about 1980, Randy has been involved in WCSS as a board member and President. During that time, Randy coordinated 4 WCSS conferences, and has served as a delegate to NCSS several times. In addition, Randy has been a presenter in almost every conference since 1989 and has presented many times at NCSS as well as other national conferences.
Randy finished high school in Milwaukee, spent two years at Ripon College, and then finished his undergraduate and graduate work at UW – Milwaukee. His graduate work was in the area of ancient and medieval cartography.
Randy was born in Mexico City and has lived in Wisconsin for most of his life. Randy has been a cowboy, bee keeper, farmer, a supervisor in a residential facility for special needs children, operated a horse farm and has been involved in experiential education for many years.
2006 Recipient- Eric H. Anderson
Eric is a 15 year social studies educator in the Fond du Lac School District with 14 years at Woodworth Middle School, where he has taught Global Connections Geography, U.S. Government, and teacher of U.S. History to 1865. Anderson graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1976 seeking a career as an urban planner or in city government. Finding none, a career path deviation led to the retail jewelry business in Oshkosh and later Wisconsin Rapids. In 1988 he left the retail world to return to school in pursuit of a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Supervision as well as his teaching license. Graduating in 1989, he has taught for 3 summers in the Oshkosh School System, a year and a half in the United Catholic School System of Oshkosh, and was hired at Fond du Lac before the 1991-1992 school year. Anderson is married to Mary Jo and has two children, Graham 20 and Claire 15. The Andersons live in Oshkosh, Eric and Mary Jo's hometown.
2005 Recipient- Mark C. Schug
Mark is Director of the Center for Economic Education and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a Senior Fellow with the National Council on Economic Education. Professor Schug has taught for over 30 years at the middle school, high school, and university levels. A widely recognized scholar, he has written and edited over 180 articles, books, and national curriculum materials. He has won national awards for research, curriculum writing, and leadership in economic education. Professor Schug often speaks about economic and financial education and issues in urban schools. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Milwaukee Urban League Academy of Business and Economics, Association of Private Enterprise Education, and Economics Wisconsin.
2004 Recipient- Walt Herscher
Walt Herscher has been actively involved in Social Studies within WI for several decades. During that time, he has served as Department Head of the Appleton Area School District and taught World History, Humanities, A.P. Art History, Military History, and U.S. History within the district. He has taught World Civilization, Humanities, and U.S. Economic History for several colleges.
He began his service for the WCSS as a Regional Representative and later became Executive Director for Internal Affairs. In that capacity, he has swerved on various DPI committees and is known to many members of the Social Studies community within the state.
Other responsibilities include serving as the State Coordinator for The American Promise and as a District Coordinator for the We the People organization. Both organizations emphasize civics. One year, he was awarded Wisconsin We the People's Outstanding Service Award. He co-authored a book of lessons for the National Council for Economic Education: World History: Focus on Economics.
Walt is a member of the WCSS, the French Historical Society, the National Council for History Education, and the National Council for the Social Studies. He served as Chair of the Instruction Committee of the NCSS. Walt has been a NCSS/Keizai Koho Fellow to Japan. He has served as one of Wisconsin's delegates to the NCSS's House of Delegates for many years. Recently, he was named as the winner of NCSS's Outstanding Service Award given annually to an individual who has been seriously dedicated to Social Studies at the local, state, regional, and national levels over an extended period of time.
2003 Recipient- Karen Prickette
Karen Prickette was the Social Studies Consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction from 1995 to 2003. She has taught extensively in K-12 public schools in Detroit, Michigan, and in Beloit, Menomonie, and Watertown, Wisconsin. She was a grant administrator for the Jefferson County School Districts and taught part time in the Wisconsin Technical College System and the UW System. Her educational background includes BA, MA, and doctoral work at UW-Madison.
2002 Recipient- Mary Kay Hammes
Mary Kay has been an active member in the WCSS for many years, including serving as secretary and on numerous other local and state committees. She was awarded a Keizai Koho Fellowship to Japan in 1989 and a Kohl Fellowship in 1997. She earned her broadfield social studies certification from UW-Oshkosh and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from UW-Whitewater. Mary Kay continues to serve on the WCSS Board of Directors and has walked the "extra mile" for social studies.
2001 Recipient- DeAn Krey
UW-River Falls Teacher Education Professor DeAn Krey received the Wisconsin Council for Social Studies Service Award on March 23, at a luncheon during the annual convention in Milwaukee. The award is given each year to one person in recognition of service and scholarly contributions.
Krey has been on the executive board of WCSS for 30 years. From 1983 to 1985 she served as president of the organization. She was recently elected to serve another two-year term on the board, representing Northwestern Wisconsin.
Said Krey, "I should be giving the organization an award for all it has contributed to my life. I've gotten as much back from the group as I've given."
She said one thing she has gained is knowledge. Social studies is such a broad area, and there is so much to know. She attended conventions and participated in workshops, bringing new ideas back to the classroom.
She also gained by becoming part of a professional community that has goals similar to hers. This helped her to develop a professional identity. Finally, she gained friends. "I can't leave that out," she said. "The friends I've made are very important to me."
Krey has taught at UW-RF since 1969 and has been recognized at UW-RF as a Distinguished Teacher, the highest award the University can bestow. She teaches all of the social studies methods courses for elementary teachers at the graduate and undergraduate level.
The Service Award was created in the memory of R.J. (Jim) Snavely, who died of brain cancer. Snavely, who had worked as a curriculum director for a public school in Wisconsin, had made significant contributions to WCSS.
2000 Recipient- Jim Kraft
Jim Kraft teaches sociology at Wausau West High School and is a past president of WCSS. As president, he started a regular summer retreat for WCSS Board Members to focus on future trends and plans. In addition, he has served a number of years as editor and then co-editor of the state wide WCSS publication providing practical ideas for classroom teachers. Jim has been actively involved with WCSS since it was just a sectional at the Wisconsin Education Association annual convention in Milwaukee in the late 1960's. Jim has a special interest in how to improve class discussions and has presented at WCSS and NCSS conventions on what he has learned from his efforts.
1999 Recipient- Margaret Laughlin and Win Jones
1998 Recipient- Sally Michalko
1997 Recipient- Mike McKinnon and Mike Griffen
1996 Recipient- Michael Hartoonian
Dr. Michael Hartoonian is a Professor in the Graduate School, Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota and Director of The Carey Center on Ethics, Economics, and Education. Michael received his B.A. degree in Economics and Mathematics from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and his M.A. in History and Education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. His Ph.D., also from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, is in Curriculum and Instruction – History and the Social Sciences. In 1992, Michael received an honorary degree from Ripon College, Ripon, Wisconsin.
1995 Recipient- Kathleen Braun
Kathy taught for 35 years in the Milwaukee Public School system on the junior high level. She was the chairperson of the social studies department for many of those years. In 1980 she was appointed the treasurer of WCSS. She was also part of the state coordinator team representing the 5th (later became 4th) congressional district in the WE THE PEOPLE program, a position that took her to Washington for over 20 years. In the 1990’s her bio was included in the education section of Who’s Who in America. In 2000 she became a WCSS delegate at large after Mike Koren took over as treasurer. Next year will mark her 35th year on the WCSS Board.
She is now heavily involved with photograph. Still involved with students, she now heads the Photographic Society of America’s (actually an international organization) youth showcase program, a contest for high school students, now from all over the world, for both prints and digital images. She’s happy to report that there are many schools in Wisconsin that are taking part in the program.
Travel, photography, and reading mysteries take up most of her time now since her retirement from MPS in 1994.
This biography was updated in 2014.
1994 - Recipient Phil Ferguson
1993 - Recipient Claud Thompson
2024 Recipient-Melissa Collum
Melissa Collum attended her first WCSS conference 29 years ago. As a high school social studies educator she taught in WI, FL, and Kenya. For the past decade she served with the CORE Department at Viterbo University teaching courses in education, history, and servant leadership. Melissa also served as Viterbo’s first Director of DEI. For four years Melissa was chair of Educational Foundations at UW La Crosse, teaching courses in Educational Foundations and Global Education. As a WCSS member Melissa served in the capacity as president and long standing member of board of directors. Her work extends to the NCSS where she has served on the national board of directors and as member of the HOD. Melissa founded and co-chairs the NCSS Pre-service educators and LGBTQ and Allies communities. She co-chairs of the First-timers scholarship committee and is serving as co-chair for the 2024 national convention in Boston. Melissa is a Fulbright Recipient to Rwanda, University of Oxford Teacher Fellow, and is the recipient of many international and national fellowships. Melissa often presents at WCSS and NCSS and has presented with the UNHCR, the American Democracy Forum, USAID, and was invited to speak at International Day of the Women Conference, Denmark. One of her favorite honors was being chosen by Viterbo senior class to be the opening speaker for next year’s First Year students. Internationally, Melissa is a specialist in global educational evaluation. She works with countries, organizations, and schools in evaluating access to and the quality of education. A specialist in Central and East Africa, Melissa’s work extends to India, Asia, and Latin America. Currently, Melissa is working with the U.S. Embassy school in El Salvador. When she is overseas, Melissa volunteers with many organizations. Her efforts extend to the areas of menstrual health solutions and education, dental hygiene, medical exams, and taking genocide narratives. Melissa collects and brings used soccer balls and gently used school supplies to the schools she is evaluating. Often asked by her education students ‘How do I get to do what you do? Travel the world and work?’ Melissa’s response “It all started when I was required to give a presentation at WCSS with my S.S. methods professor. The right people saw me and one thing led to another . . . WCSS is where my international career really began.”
2023 Recipient- Carrie Carlson
Snavely -Michalko Award Carrie Carlson has been teaching Social Studies in Wisconsin for 23 years. She earned her bachelor's degree from Carthage College in History and Education and her Master’s of Education in Teaching and Learning from Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota. She has been able to share her passion with students while working at Medford, Eau Claire North and Altoona High Schools. Carrie was introduced to WCSS through a study tour for teachers to Germany in 2007. She was sold on the organization after attending and presenting at the conference in 2008. Carrie has served as a delegate, vice president, editor, and co-chair of membership throughout her tenure on the board. WCSS gave Carrie the opportunity to participate in the NCSS Summer Leadership Institute in Washington DC where she was able to meet and lobby Senators and Representatives for Social Studies education. In 2015, she was selected as a member of the Wisconsin State Superintendent’s Social Studies Advisory Council. In 2018, she was selected as a member of the Social Studies Standards Writing Committee and then helped vet standards-based questions for the Forward exam. She is currently helping develop guidance for Political Science standards. Outside of school, Carrie spends most of her time with her family, including her husband Dan, and daughters Isabel (16) and Serena (13). She loves traveling, coaching and watching her kids do whatever they love. Carrie is honored to be chosen for this award as she loved serving on the board with Sally Michalko, one of the most welcoming people who always made her smile. Carrie believes the best part of being on the board was learning from all the amazing people. She feels that because of them, she is a better teacher.
2022 Recipient Christine Kadonsky
Christine Kadonsky has been teaching US History at Wausau West since 2001. She was impressed by WCSS when she attended her first conference as a preservice teacher. Christine has served on the WCSS Board for 18 years, including roles as the Awards Committee Chair, Recording Secretary, Vice President, EdCamp organizer, conference presenter, and unofficial WCSS shutterbug. She was honored to be selected as the 2018 WCSS Distinguished High School Teacher of the Yera.
Christine completed her MA in history as a James Madison Fellow and later served as the 2010 James Madison Congressional Fellow. She has served as Teacher Fellow and Teacher Facilitator for teacher institutes at Mount Vernon. Christine has been recognized as the 2018 Herb Kohl Fellow, 2014 Wisconsin VFW High School Teacher of the Year, and 2010 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year from the Gilder Lehrman Institute.
Christine believes in the WCSS Mission to support and advocate for social studies education, teachers, and students. She continues to be grateful for the opportunity to work with outstanding educators--past and present WCSS Board members-- as we strive to fulfill the WCSS mission. Christine is honored to receive the WCSS Snavely/Michalko and she remembers fondly her dear friend Sally Michalko.
2021 Recipient Sherri Michalowkski
Sherri is currently in her 40th year of teaching. Thirty-three of those years have been teaching 8th-grade social studies for the Elmbrook School District in Brookfield. Sherri has an elementary education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She earned her master's degree in leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in 1998 and became a Nationally Board Certified educator in early adolescence social studies. Sherri has been a member of WCSS since 2013; since then, she has served as Southeast Delegate, President-Elect, President, and Past President.
Before her involvement in WCSS, Sherri served as a teacher consultant and co-coordinator of the Wisconsin State Geographic Bee for the Wisconsin Geographic Alliance. Currently, Sherri finds great fulfillment in collaborating with individuals entering the field of education. She works with student teachers from a range of colleges and universities, presents at local and national conferences, and teaches in Mount Mary's education program.
In 1012, the National Council for Geographic Education awarded Sherri their Distinguished Teaching Award. In 2018, the Wisconsin Association of Colleges for Teacher Education granted Sherri their Pre-Service Educator Mentor Award. In 2019, the School District of Elmbrook honored Sherri with the student-nominated Elmbrook Influential Educator Award.
Sherri has been married for 36 years to Ski, who is a retired special education teacher. They have two children: Alexandra, 26, and Nick, 25. In her free time, Sherri likes to spend time with her family and friends and loves every opportunity she can take to travel.
2020 Recipient-Pam Kaiser
Pam Kaiser has been teaching Social Studies in the state of WI for 30 years! Pam graduated from UW-Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in Broadfield Social Sciences and a minor in Political Science & Coaching. She also has her Master's degree from the University of Minnesota in Teacher Leadership. She teachers in the Osceola School District at the high school, teaching AP Psych, General Psych, Civics & World Wars. She also stays busy coaching Boys & Girls Golf as well as advising her History Club, the Capitals.
Pam was appointed to the WCSS Board of Directors in 1998 and began working with Membership at that time. She became the Membership Director in 2008. She feels blessed to work with awesome people on the Board as well as each of you here today. We are all volunteers on the WCSS Board of Directors, and if you have an interest in participating, please reach out to anyone on the WCSS Board.
Pam completed he National Board for Professional Teaching Standards: Adolescence and Young Adulthood/ Social Studies History in 2005, then renewed it again in 2016. She has also studied at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum through the Arthur and Rochelle Belfer National Conference for Educators. She encourages everyone to continue to grow as educators, enjoy your students and remember to "keep the social in social studies!" Thanks for attending the 2020 WCSS Virtual Conference and Keep Smiling!
2019 Recipient-Jeff Maves
Jeff Maves has been a social studies teacher in the state of WI for 18 years in the Milwaukee and La Crosse areas. He has a bachelor’s degree in Broadfield Social Sciences from the University of WI-Oshkosh and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Viterbo University. Jeff has spent 14 years as a high school teacher, as well as 4 years as a middle school teacher. Eight years ago Jeff was elected as a SW delegate while teaching at West Salem High School.
Prior to being elected to the board, he was a regular presenter at the WCSS state conference. Jeff became the assistant business manager unofficially in 2013 and became the first assistant business manager for WCSS when the position was added to the WCSS Constitution. He then became the WCSS Business Manager in 2017. Jeff also represented WCSS at the NCSS House of Delegates at the 2018 NCSS Conference. Jeff was selected to participate in the NCSS Summer Leadership Institute in Washington DC. During the week in Washington DC, he was able to meet and lobby the importance of Social Studies education with both Wisconsin US Senators, Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson.
Outside of the classroom, Jeff loves to travel and play golf and had the chance this past summer to walk the links of St. Andrews in Scotland, and is looking forward to attending the Masters this April. Jeff loved serving on the board with Sally Michalko and finds it a true honor to receive this award. He has stated how much of a privilege it is to receive this award citing that the former business manager and many friends and family friends have received this award. It is also a special award since his dad was a former WCSS board member.
2018 Recipient Chuck Taft
After a quarter century, Chuck Taft still loves to bring the past alive to his students and share his passion for teaching with his colleagues and fellow social studies professionals. His favorite part about teaching-and living-is learning. Every day is a new opportunity to help young people learn about the past, the world around them, and how they can merge the two to make a positive difference in the future. He loves to support and encourage independence and curiosity in his students as the develop the skills essential for success in future endeavors, inside and outside of school.
Chuck has taught in the 8th grade for 21 years at University School of Milwaukee, trying his best to change and improve each year. He has also been an adjunct social studies methods professor at Cardinal Stritch University since 2013, doing his best to get future educators excited about the social studies. A professional development addict, Chuck enjoys learning from and with educational professionals across the globe. He frequently presents locally, statewide through WCSS, and at the annual NCSS conference, and loves to use social media as a method to connect with and learn from the best of the best.
As a history guy, Chuck loves historical travel. Walking in the footsteps of history is the best way to learn about and appreciate the past, and he has been very fortunate to take historical trips to the South to study the Civil War and Civil Rights and visit France twice to learn and honor those that served in World War I and World War II. He joined a team of USM teachers on a service learning trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, traveling to historical and cultural locations and spending time with students at an orphanage and school. Besides learning, the best part of each trip is his ability to enrich the experiences of his students and school community through teaching and sharing.
Being involved in WCSS has been a highlight in his professional life. A transplanted Wisconsinite, he now calls the state home and feels honored to work with amazing educators on the state council. The annual conference in March is a highlight every year, as he gets to connect, share, and (most importantly) learn!
Social studies education is a great passion for Chuck, but not as much as spending time with his wife and three kids. He also enjoys sports, reading, movies, and proudly rooting for the Detroit Lions and Tigers.
Chuck is humbled to receive the Snavely Michalko Award and be recognized by his peers. He feels he learns much more from colleagues that he offers in return, and he is thankful to be surrounded by such amazing educators and people at USM and WCSS.
2017 Recipient-Joe Schmidt
Joe Schmidt has worked as an educator for the past twelve years. He has a bachelor's degree in Broadfield Social Studies/Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Masters in Education from Viterbo University. Joe spent nine years as a high school social studies teacher in Eagle River and Peshtigo, Wisconsin before taking the position of K-12 Social Studies Teacher Leader - Curriculum & Instruction for the Madison Metropolitan School District in 2014. Earlier this month, Joe moved to Maine after accepting the position of Regional Education Representative - Social Studies/High School Initiatives Specialist for the Department of Education in Augusta, Maine.
During the past ten years, Joe has presented sessions at each WCSS conference and served on the WCSS board as a delegate, vice-president, and is currently the WCSS Business Manager. He has also represented the WCSS at the NCSS House of Delegates and the NCSS Summer Leadership Institute while also presenting at NCSS, and serving as the chairperson of the NCSS Social Education Select Subcommittee.
In Wisconsin, Joe works with the State Superintendent's Social Studies Advisory Council and was part of the group that helped to vet the new Forward Exam. He has also worked with Wisconsin Media Lab and UW-Madison in supporting teachers around the teaching of Act 31 and the Wisconsin State Bar Association in creating educational resources about our court system.
Nationally, Joe has served for the past four years as a member of the iCivics Educator Network and for the past two years a member of the Teaching Tolerance Advisory Board. He participated in the fellows program at the Center for the Study of the American Constitution and represented Wisconsin as a fellow with the European Union Center for Excellence in Brussels, Belgium. Joe has also worked with Colonial Williamsburg to create new professional development opportunities for teachers in and around Madison.
Joe is excited for the next phase of his professional career to begin, but is humbled to be the first winner of the new Snavely/Michalko Award. He continues to be energized and inspired by the teachers he works with every day and the dedicated social studies professional around the state of Wisconsin. Joe is proud to represent Wisconsin for this award and wherever he may travel in the future as a proud Badger...On Wisconsin!
2016 Recipient-Rhonda Watton
Rhonda Watton has taught Social Studies at the middle school level for 24 years, beginning her career in Milwaukee Public Schools, and currently, teaching at Templeton Middle School in Sussex. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Carthage College and National Board Certification in Early Adolescence—Social Studies/History.
Rhonda has served as the grades 6-8 Social Studies Instructional Leader and Vertical Team Facilitator in her district. She serves as the immediate past president of the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies and past conference chairperson. She serves as the state co-coordinator for the National Geographic Bee and an active member of the steering and strategic plan committees for the Wisconsin Geographic Alliance. Last year, she was selected as a member of the Wisconsin State Superintendent’s Social Studies Advisory Council.
Nationally, Rhonda was awarded the 2012 National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) Distinguished Teacher Award, and was selected the 2013 NCSS Outstanding Social Studies Middle Level Teacher of the Year. She has presented sessions at NCSS conferences, was a C3 Frameworks Facilitator, a member of the NCSS Awards Committee and House of Delegates, has participated in the Summer Leader Institute, and was recently elected to the NCSS Board of Directors as the K-12 Delegate at Large. In 2015, she received the James Madison Foundation Fellowship to pursue a Master’s Degree in American History and Government.
In addition to being active in professional organizations, Rhonda continues to grow professionally as an educator. She has had the opportunity to attend several NEH and Gilder Lehrman summer institutes, taking her to such places as Mount Vernon, Fort Ticonderoga, Ford’s Theater, Lexington and Concord, and Boston and meeting and working with historians such as Gordon Wood and Joseph Ellis. She has been a teacher leader with the People to People Student Ambassador program for 15 years, preparing and traveling with high school students to many different countries of the world, including Australia, China, India and many places in Europe. Rhonda is a Colonial Williamsburg Master Teacher, a member of the James Madison Legacy project and the Freedom Foundations Middle School Education Program Committee, and is a reviewer for the Geography Praxis Exam.
2015 Recipient-Jennifer Morgan
Jennifer Morgan has spent her entire teaching career meeting the challenges of middle school students in western Wisconsin. She is currently finishing her 21st year teaching 8th Grade United States History in West Salem, WI. In addition to her time in the classroom, she worked in the curriculum department as the middle school instructional coach where she developed professional development opportunities for staff in the middle school and district-wide. She also developed the Elementary & Middle School Social Studies Methods class for Viterbo University. In 2012, she was named the Wisconsin Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Teacher of American history and travelled to China in 2013 as a Fulbright-Hayes Fellow through Towson University.
Jennifer has been active in social studies at the state and national levels too. She has served as a delegate, President-Elect, President and most recently Past-President of WCSS. During her time as President-Elect, conference keynoters included Free the Children Founders Marc & Craig Kielberger and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Shannon Galpin, founder of Mountain to Mountain. She has served as a member of the NCSS House of Delegates, chairs two communities, and has done several presentations at the national conference.
Outside of school, Jennifer likes to travel, often mixing new learning opportunities with pleasure, photography & reading. She would like to thank board members past and present who are the true unsung heroes behind WCSS. She would also like to extend a special thanks to Past-President Melissa Collum for her mentoring and support during those challenging years of conference planning.
2014 Recipient-Stephen Rose, Ph.D.
Stephen Rose is a Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and a recipient of the Edward M. Penson Distinguished Teaching Award. He takes great pleasure in teaching social studies methods courses, supervising clinicians and student teachers. At the graduate level, he teaches Social Studies curriculum and Educational Law courses for Masters Degree candidates.
Stephen has been active all of his professional life in various social studies organizations, which include the National Council for Social Studies where he served as chair of the then Citizenship Education and Technology Committees. He has published numerous articles in educational journals, made presentations at NCSS and WCSS, and has delivered and published papers at international conferences in Switzerland, Portugal and Greece.
Stephen served on the WCSS Board of Directors for over twenty years; during which he was Vice President, President-elect, and President. He remembers fondly working with Board members to design conferences that included disciplinary strands, organizations with global perspectives, and last but not least, poster sessions for pre-service teachers to introduce WCSS to the next generation of teachers.
During the latter years of his career, in addition to his continuing passion about educating democracy’s next generation of Social Studies teachers, he expanded his areas of interest to include Educational Policy and Educational Law. The former resulted in a general education course Educational Policy: Lies, Damn Lies and Education, and was taught to first semester freshmen. This rewarding experience also underscored the continuing need for all of us in social studies to teach the requisite knowledge, skills and dispositions associated with critically minded and engaged citizens.
2013 Recipient-Bobbie Malone, Ph.D.
Bobbie Malone, Ph.D., is the co-author of the Student Textbook, Teacher's Edition and Student Activity Guide for "Wisconsin: Our State, Our Story." She is the former director of the Office of School Services at the Wisconsin Historical Society (1995-2011). With a master's degree in elementary education, she taught school for ten years before taking a doctorate in American History. Bobbie has authored and edited many student books and teachers guides on Wisconsin history for the state's classrooms.
2012 Recipient-Michael Koren
Michael Koren, from suburban Milwaukee Wisconsin, is entering his 32nd year of teaching Social Studies, the last 30 years at Maple Dale School. Michael was named the 2010 National Middle School Teacher of the Year by the National Council of the Social Studies and the 2010 State of Wisconsin Distinguished Middle School Teacher of the Year by the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies. In addition, he was named a Herb Kohl Educational Scholar in 2008.
Michael has been very involved in the Social Studies community. He served back-to-back terms on the Board of Directors of the National Council for the Social Studies from 2004-2010. He has been on the executive board of the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies since 1994 and has been the treasurer of this group since 2000. Michael has presented many sessions at the annual conference of National Council for the Social Studies, and presents nearly every year at the annual conference for the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies. Michael has served and continues to serve as a consultant for various educational groups throughout the country and in the state of Wisconsin.
Michael has many interests including travel, cooking, and attending sporting events. He has been a high school basketball referee for the past 35 years and has season tickets to the Milwaukee Brewers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Michael and his wife Tova live in Glendale, Wisconsin.
2011 Recipient-Paul E. Schoenike
Paul E. Schoenike of Monroe served in a variety of capacities with WCSS during the 1980s. He began as a board member and then eventually served in leadership roles as vice president and president of the organization. As past president, he served as Exhibit Chair for the conference. He has attended all conventions since that time including NCSS regional and national conventions as a sectional presenter.
Paul earned his BS from UW-Oshkosh (’62) and his MST from UW-Platteville (’70). He enjoyed his entire teaching career with 7th and 8th grade students in Marshall (3 years) and Monroe (34 years). During his time in Monroe, Paul was blessed to work with a very compatible teaching partner, Gil Jelinek, for 30 years. He has mentored many future educators from UW-Platteville in his classroom. From the late 1960s through the early 1990s, Paul served on the Wisconsin State Curriculum Committee.
Paul is also an active member of the Wisconsin Geographic Alliance. During the summer of 1990, he had the opportunity to study at the National Geographic Society. From 1991-2004, he served as part of the WIGA Summer Institute’s staff. In 1999, he received the organization’s service award.
Other honors Paul has received include: the National Council for Geographic Education Teaching Award (’85) and a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Sierra Leone, West Africa (’85). His “Classroom Trip to Canada”, which details the many trips he took with students to Toronto, Canada, has been received at numerous U.S. and Canadian social studies conventions.
Since leaving the classroom, Paul has served as Adjunct Professor of Social Studies/Geography at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee and has taught a wide variety of topics at the Monroe Senior Center. Paul enjoys his role as husband to his wife of 48 years, Jean; father to Douglas and Paula; and “Grandpa” to four grandchildren. He serves as Church President and is an avid collector of model Lionel trains.
2010 Recipient-Jim Adams
Jim Adams is a member of the NCSS and the WCSS, having served as President and "webmaster" of the WCSS and delegate to the NCSS House of Delegates. He was the program chairman for the 2004 NCSS Great Lakes Regional Conference.
A Michigan native, Jim graduated from Michigan State University in 1971 with a degree in Broadfield Social Studies Education. He is now retired after teaching U.S. History and Social Studies for 35 years at Sevastopol High School in Door County. In addition to his teaching duties he also served as the Mock Trial Coach, Student Council Advisor, coordinated the selection of the Boys State and Girls State representatives and was the chair of the Social Studies Department.
Jim was a group leader for a People to People Student Ambassador delegation to the former Soviet Union and his family has hosted teachers for the Japan – Wisconsin Education Connection. His family
has also hosted foreign exchange students and group student exchanges through Rotary. He was named VFW Teacher of the Year by the local VFW Post. For many years Jim coached football, basketball, and track at Sevastopol.
He has done volunteer work for the Blue Mountain Project in Jamaica, helping establish a clinic and community center in Hagley Gap and has donated 69 pints of blood to the Red Cross blood drive.
Jim was on the Sturgeon Bay City Council for 8 years serving on the Finance Committee, Utilities Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Door County Library Board, and Park and Recreation Committee. Currently, Jim sells real estate in Door County and serves on his church finance council, the local Habitat for Humanity Board, and the executive committee of the Door County Democrats.
"I am proud to be given this award by my WCSS colleagues. It is humbling to be in the same company of so many dedicated social studies professionals," said Jim upon being named the recipient of the Snavely Award.
2009 Recipient-John Donnelly
John graduated from UW-Whitewater with B.S. in Economics, Sociology, and Broadfield Social Studies, and also did graduate work at UW-Whitewater, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Green Bay. He began teaching at Clintonville High School in Clintonville, Wisconsin in 1973 where he taught a variety of courses including, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, European Studies, Political Economy, and American Government. The Economics and Sociology courses were approved for students to receive advanced standing and dual credit by Fox Valley Technical College. He was also advisor to Student Council and National Honor Society, and coordinator for Waupaca County Student Government Day and the Laird Youth Leadership Conference.
In addition to his WCSS and NCSS membership, he is a past member of the Association of Secondary Economics Teachers and the Sociology Special Interest Group of the National Council fro the Social Studies.
John has coordinated the WCSS exhibit booth for about the last eight years promoting materials for WCSS and NCSS at conferences around the state such as the WEAC Fall Teachers Convention, the Northwestern Teachers Conference, and the Wisconsin Association of Middle Level Educators conference.
In his retirement he is doing some traveling, spending time at his cottage in northern Wisconsin, and serving as an Election Inspector for the City of Clintonville.
2008 Recipient-Jeff Newton
Jeff received his bachelor and masters degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. In Wausau, he taught World Geography at John Muir Middle School in his first year and at Horace Mann Middle School the next five years. In 1998 Jeff moved back home to Chippewa Falls where he has been teaching European Geography at the Chippewa Falls Middle School. He attended his first WCSS Geographic Alliance Conference in 1992 and joined WCSS in 1993. Both of these experiences, especially the people associated with them, led him to to become active in and learn from these organizations. Through these organizations, Jeff has been able to contribute to WIGA, NGS, WCSS, and the DPI. In the spring of 1999 Jeff was appointed Business Manager of WCSS and has since served in that position. Although the challenges are many, Jeff seems to enjoy his position as business manager and says he has learned on-the-job how to do it. "The feeling that you have everything covered is a false sense of security," he muses, "because, like teaching, everything can change in a minute." Nevertheless, Jeff has risen to the challenge on more than one occasion and has ably handled all the conference logistics. Married with three children, Jeff also has two cats, a basset hound, and three fish. He enjoys hunting and building projects in his spare time.
2007 Recipient- Randy Goree
After 15 years teaching middle school and high school social studies, which included 10 years in Racine and a semester in Japan, Randy Goree began teaching at UW–M. Randy has taught at UW–M for 18 years. He is currently the director of the EAA Social Studies program at UW-M. While at UW–M, Randy has been the director of the Woodrow Wilson Summer Institutes, and has been and continues to be the director of the ACT 31 program, faculty advisor to numerous honor societies, and chairs the EAA committee at UW–M.
Randy has been a long time member of WCSS. Starting about 1980, Randy has been involved in WCSS as a board member and President. During that time, Randy coordinated 4 WCSS conferences, and has served as a delegate to NCSS several times. In addition, Randy has been a presenter in almost every conference since 1989 and has presented many times at NCSS as well as other national conferences.
Randy finished high school in Milwaukee, spent two years at Ripon College, and then finished his undergraduate and graduate work at UW – Milwaukee. His graduate work was in the area of ancient and medieval cartography.
Randy was born in Mexico City and has lived in Wisconsin for most of his life. Randy has been a cowboy, bee keeper, farmer, a supervisor in a residential facility for special needs children, operated a horse farm and has been involved in experiential education for many years.
2006 Recipient- Eric H. Anderson
Eric is a 15 year social studies educator in the Fond du Lac School District with 14 years at Woodworth Middle School, where he has taught Global Connections Geography, U.S. Government, and teacher of U.S. History to 1865. Anderson graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1976 seeking a career as an urban planner or in city government. Finding none, a career path deviation led to the retail jewelry business in Oshkosh and later Wisconsin Rapids. In 1988 he left the retail world to return to school in pursuit of a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Supervision as well as his teaching license. Graduating in 1989, he has taught for 3 summers in the Oshkosh School System, a year and a half in the United Catholic School System of Oshkosh, and was hired at Fond du Lac before the 1991-1992 school year. Anderson is married to Mary Jo and has two children, Graham 20 and Claire 15. The Andersons live in Oshkosh, Eric and Mary Jo's hometown.
2005 Recipient- Mark C. Schug
Mark is Director of the Center for Economic Education and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a Senior Fellow with the National Council on Economic Education. Professor Schug has taught for over 30 years at the middle school, high school, and university levels. A widely recognized scholar, he has written and edited over 180 articles, books, and national curriculum materials. He has won national awards for research, curriculum writing, and leadership in economic education. Professor Schug often speaks about economic and financial education and issues in urban schools. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Milwaukee Urban League Academy of Business and Economics, Association of Private Enterprise Education, and Economics Wisconsin.
2004 Recipient- Walt Herscher
Walt Herscher has been actively involved in Social Studies within WI for several decades. During that time, he has served as Department Head of the Appleton Area School District and taught World History, Humanities, A.P. Art History, Military History, and U.S. History within the district. He has taught World Civilization, Humanities, and U.S. Economic History for several colleges.
He began his service for the WCSS as a Regional Representative and later became Executive Director for Internal Affairs. In that capacity, he has swerved on various DPI committees and is known to many members of the Social Studies community within the state.
Other responsibilities include serving as the State Coordinator for The American Promise and as a District Coordinator for the We the People organization. Both organizations emphasize civics. One year, he was awarded Wisconsin We the People's Outstanding Service Award. He co-authored a book of lessons for the National Council for Economic Education: World History: Focus on Economics.
Walt is a member of the WCSS, the French Historical Society, the National Council for History Education, and the National Council for the Social Studies. He served as Chair of the Instruction Committee of the NCSS. Walt has been a NCSS/Keizai Koho Fellow to Japan. He has served as one of Wisconsin's delegates to the NCSS's House of Delegates for many years. Recently, he was named as the winner of NCSS's Outstanding Service Award given annually to an individual who has been seriously dedicated to Social Studies at the local, state, regional, and national levels over an extended period of time.
2003 Recipient- Karen Prickette
Karen Prickette was the Social Studies Consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction from 1995 to 2003. She has taught extensively in K-12 public schools in Detroit, Michigan, and in Beloit, Menomonie, and Watertown, Wisconsin. She was a grant administrator for the Jefferson County School Districts and taught part time in the Wisconsin Technical College System and the UW System. Her educational background includes BA, MA, and doctoral work at UW-Madison.
2002 Recipient- Mary Kay Hammes
Mary Kay has been an active member in the WCSS for many years, including serving as secretary and on numerous other local and state committees. She was awarded a Keizai Koho Fellowship to Japan in 1989 and a Kohl Fellowship in 1997. She earned her broadfield social studies certification from UW-Oshkosh and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from UW-Whitewater. Mary Kay continues to serve on the WCSS Board of Directors and has walked the "extra mile" for social studies.
2001 Recipient- DeAn Krey
UW-River Falls Teacher Education Professor DeAn Krey received the Wisconsin Council for Social Studies Service Award on March 23, at a luncheon during the annual convention in Milwaukee. The award is given each year to one person in recognition of service and scholarly contributions.
Krey has been on the executive board of WCSS for 30 years. From 1983 to 1985 she served as president of the organization. She was recently elected to serve another two-year term on the board, representing Northwestern Wisconsin.
Said Krey, "I should be giving the organization an award for all it has contributed to my life. I've gotten as much back from the group as I've given."
She said one thing she has gained is knowledge. Social studies is such a broad area, and there is so much to know. She attended conventions and participated in workshops, bringing new ideas back to the classroom.
She also gained by becoming part of a professional community that has goals similar to hers. This helped her to develop a professional identity. Finally, she gained friends. "I can't leave that out," she said. "The friends I've made are very important to me."
Krey has taught at UW-RF since 1969 and has been recognized at UW-RF as a Distinguished Teacher, the highest award the University can bestow. She teaches all of the social studies methods courses for elementary teachers at the graduate and undergraduate level.
The Service Award was created in the memory of R.J. (Jim) Snavely, who died of brain cancer. Snavely, who had worked as a curriculum director for a public school in Wisconsin, had made significant contributions to WCSS.
2000 Recipient- Jim Kraft
Jim Kraft teaches sociology at Wausau West High School and is a past president of WCSS. As president, he started a regular summer retreat for WCSS Board Members to focus on future trends and plans. In addition, he has served a number of years as editor and then co-editor of the state wide WCSS publication providing practical ideas for classroom teachers. Jim has been actively involved with WCSS since it was just a sectional at the Wisconsin Education Association annual convention in Milwaukee in the late 1960's. Jim has a special interest in how to improve class discussions and has presented at WCSS and NCSS conventions on what he has learned from his efforts.
1999 Recipient- Margaret Laughlin and Win Jones
1998 Recipient- Sally Michalko
1997 Recipient- Mike McKinnon and Mike Griffen
1996 Recipient- Michael Hartoonian
Dr. Michael Hartoonian is a Professor in the Graduate School, Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota and Director of The Carey Center on Ethics, Economics, and Education. Michael received his B.A. degree in Economics and Mathematics from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and his M.A. in History and Education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. His Ph.D., also from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, is in Curriculum and Instruction – History and the Social Sciences. In 1992, Michael received an honorary degree from Ripon College, Ripon, Wisconsin.
1995 Recipient- Kathleen Braun
Kathy taught for 35 years in the Milwaukee Public School system on the junior high level. She was the chairperson of the social studies department for many of those years. In 1980 she was appointed the treasurer of WCSS. She was also part of the state coordinator team representing the 5th (later became 4th) congressional district in the WE THE PEOPLE program, a position that took her to Washington for over 20 years. In the 1990’s her bio was included in the education section of Who’s Who in America. In 2000 she became a WCSS delegate at large after Mike Koren took over as treasurer. Next year will mark her 35th year on the WCSS Board.
She is now heavily involved with photograph. Still involved with students, she now heads the Photographic Society of America’s (actually an international organization) youth showcase program, a contest for high school students, now from all over the world, for both prints and digital images. She’s happy to report that there are many schools in Wisconsin that are taking part in the program.
Travel, photography, and reading mysteries take up most of her time now since her retirement from MPS in 1994.
This biography was updated in 2014.
1994 - Recipient Phil Ferguson
1993 - Recipient Claud Thompson