Kim Oliver
|
Posted By: Joah King on May 09, 2006 PROFESSION: Educator HU Alumna Named National Teacher of the Year Hampton, VA - Kimberly Oliver, a 1998 graduate of Hampton University , was named the National Teacher of the Year by President George Bush at a ceremony held at the White House on April 26, 2006. Oliver was chosen because of her community focus, teamwork with other teachers, and a desire to see all students succeed. The National Teacher of the Year Program focuses public attention on teaching excellence and is the oldest and most prestigious awards program for teachers. Oliver, a kindergarten teacher at Broad Acres Elementary School in Silver Spring , Md. , is the 56th national teacher of the year and the first to represent Maryland . She will begin a year as a full-time national and international spokesperson for education on June 1, 2006. She certainly has plenty of information and experience to share. When Oliver came to Broad Acres Elementary School in 2000, the school was in danger of being restructured by the state because of declining academic performance. "I realized that I adore working with children," Oliver said. "This experience helped to shape many of my beliefs about what children can do if someone believes in them. I knew then that I wanted to motivate and inspire the neediest students whom many have been written off just because of the circumstances they were born into." Oliver was raised in Wilmington, Del. and is a graduate of William Penn High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in English arts from Hampton University in 1998 and a master's degree in elementary education from Wilmington College in 2000. Oliver's professors at Hampton University remember her as being a very dedicated student. "I recall Kim as an exceptionably able student," said John Alewynse, chair of the Hampton University Department of English. " I also recall being struck and somewhat bemused by her commitment to a career in elementary education. However, in just the last few years, it has become generally recognized that that is exactly where we as a country need to put our greatest effort. In retrospect, Kim was already well ahead of the curve." Her childhood admiration of a daycare teacher and her college summers spent working at a young children's day camp inspired Oliver to become an educator. Since then, Oliver has devoted her life to building on these experiences, especially the one-on-one relationship forged between that special teacher and herself. With a focus on individualized education and a love of reading, along with tailoring lessons and projects to the needs of individual students, she has been able to profoundly impact her school and neighborhood. A committee of representatives from 14 national education organizations chooses the national teacher of the year from among the state teachers of the year, including those representing American Samoa , Department of Defense Education Activity, District of Columbia , Guam, Northern Mariana Islands , and U.S. Virgin Islands. # HU # For more information contact Yuri Rodgers Milligan @ (757)727-5253 or email yuri.milligan@hamptonu.edu. Return To 2005 - 2006 Press Releases If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
Comments
|
Hi Ms. Oliver, My name id Dominique Campbell and I was wondering if you think I could possibly be accepted into Hampton University if I have an ACT composite score of 17 but a high school gpa of 3.72 My email address is dncampbell1@yahoo.com
Sunday, October 21st 2007 at 9:04PM |
 |
this is very admirable
Wednesday, June 11th 2008 at 7:10PM |
More From This Author
Latest Famous HBCU Alumni
 |
Crispus Attucks: American Revolutionary Hero?Crispus Attucks is a name that twenty-first century American schoolchildren usually learn in their introduction to the American Revolution and its heroes. Attucks—a man of African and Native American ...more
Hija Chang • 912 Views • July 25th, 2026 |
 |
On International Chess Day, Celebrating Maurice Ashley – The First African American Chess GrandmasterContent Artist: Shourjyani Chatterjee
Maurice Ashley became the first Black chess Grandmaster in 1999.
He coached young players from Harlem and became a globally recognised chess commentator.
...more
Hija Chang • 824 Views • July 24th, 2026 |
 |
How Dr. Samuel Lee Kountz, Jr. revolutionized kidney transplantsBorn in Lexa, Arkansas in 1930, Dr. Kountz had to work hard and overcome several obstacles to reach his goal of becoming a doctor. Despite failing the entrance exam at his first attempt applying for c ...more
Hija Chang • 824 Views • July 20th, 2026 |
 |
N.C A&T JOMC Alumna Jada Webb Selected for National Geographic Content Scholarship ProgramEAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (May 20, 2026) - Jada Webb '26, who graduated from the mass communication program in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JOMC) at North Carolina Agricultural and ...more
Roger The Great • 1,186 Views • May 20th, 2026 |
Popular Famous HBCU Alumni
 |
Della Miles takes Michelle Obama to the stage in "Obama the Musical"When Della Miles was a student at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, everyone new she would be a brighter star one day having been selected Miss PVAMU and 4th Runner-up to Miss Texas/America 1984. ...more
Frederick Roberts • 91,182 Views • April 11th, 2010 |
 |
Oprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey, the multi media mogul, has garnered international appeal for her talk show. As the first Black woman billionaire in world history, Winfrey has overtaken EBay CEO, Meg Whitman, as the ri ...more
Reginald Claremont • 39,766 Views • September 30th, 2005 |
 |
Kerry D. ChandlerPROFESSION: Legendary HR Executive
Kerry D. Chandler, a San Diego, CA native, is the Executive Vice President of Human Resources at the National Basketball Association responsible for leading the leag ...more
Ryan Rogers • 34,859 Views • May 3rd, 2011 |
 |
WaleDid you know that rapper Wale attended 2 HBCUs!?
Olubowale Victor Akintimehin (born September 21, 1984), better known by his stage name Wale (/ˈwɔːleɪ/ WAW-lay), is an American ...more
Roger The Great • 34,713 Views • March 27th, 2014 |
 |
Rick Ross - Yep Another HBCU AlumnusWilliam Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Ross founded the record label Maybach Music Group. He was born in Coahoma County, M ...more
Reginald Claremont • 33,650 Views • September 1st, 2010 |
