Worth a Million

Photo by Buena Vista Television

Nancy Christy's eighth-grade English students always knew she was a million-dollar teacher. But now, the rest of America knows it, too.

In May, Christy won the top prize on the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, making her the first woman in the country to win $1 million on a TV quiz show.

"I don't have to worry anymore," Christy says. "Bills will be paid. I'll keep a roof over my head. It gives you this great feeling of security."

Although Christy, a teacher at Carver Middle School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, plans to save most of her winnings, she splurged on a new sports car and plans to make some home improvements. But she doesn't plan to quit teaching. In fact, she partly credits her teaching experience for her success on the show.

"Teachers have a broad array of knowledge on a variety of subjects," she says. "It also helps with being in front of a crowd. A television audience is nothing. Try standing in front of a group of 13- and 14-year-olds."

But Christy's acting hobby secured her the million-dollar win. Christy's final question asked her to identify the model for the farmer in Grant Wood's painting American Gothic. Christy had portrayed the farmer's wife in a stage performance, so she knew the answer: Wood's dentist.

"I knew the answer before they even put the choices up," she says. "I just thought, 'this is meant to be.'"

--Kristen Loschert

Dishing Up a Hero

Cafeteria worker Mary Borofski never doubted herself the day she saw seventh grader Brie Kline clenching her throat, gasping for air. The girl's frantic body movements and silent screams told Borofski she needed help fast. Without hesitation, Borofski rushed to her aid, anchored both arms under the girl's rib cage, and began squeezing.

After a brief struggle out popped an inch-long piece of hot dog, which had lodged in Kline's throat. The student couldn't have been happier and hugged Borofski, who works at the Nanticoke Learning Center in Pennsylvania. Before that day, Borofski had never performed the procedure, known as the Heimlich maneuver, but had practiced the life-saving technique in a CPR class she completed several years ago.

What surprised Borofski was the aftermath.

The local school board honored Borofski (shown here with Kline) with a certificate and a plaque from her co-workers. And Kline's parents, who thanked Borofski profusely, regard her as a local heroine, as do other members of the community. Borofski's story even attracted attention from the local paper, The Citizen's-Voice.

"I know I saved someone's life, but I didn't expect all this attention," says Borofski. "At the time I saw it needed to be done and just did it without thinking, nothing special."

Borofski feels her job is to help students, and coming to a seventh grader's rescue is all part of her day's work.

--Josef Sawyer

Linking to Native Americans' Past

Retired New Jersey member Claire Garland brings centuries-old Cherokee history to life through a project that evolved from a study of her own family's roots.

Garland and two teacher partners received a $5,000 grant from Verizon to design a Web site and CD-ROM around her project, Native Americans in Monmouth County. The popular project tells the history of the region through the experiences of Garland's ancestors, Cherokee Indians who migrated from Georgia up the Appalachian Trail to New Jersey in the early 1800s.

When she started the project, "I was looking for ways to teach my own children about their heritage," she says. Visiting the Neptune Historical Society one day, she found an account book that her great-great-grandfather, Isaac, had kept. The book was a treasure trove of fascinating details about life in Monmouth County--and it sparked Garland's interest in learning more details about her family roots.

From there, she scoured tax and marriage records, military archives and other sources, and collected photos from family members. Eventually, she developed curriculum materials and a manuscript she hopes to get published. Before retiring last December, Garland had introduced many of her junior high students to the role of Native Americans in the building of New Jersey. This fall, she'll show teachers how to weave local history into their lessons.

For more, visit www.Cherokee-Indian-Ike.com.

--John O'Neil

Making an Idol

Next time you turn on the radio listen carefully, because you just might hear the latest hit song from NEA member Elizabeth Keeney.

Keeney, a fifth-grade teacher at North End Elementary School in Princeton, Minnesota, burst onto the music scene this spring after winning a state version of Fox TV's hit music contest American Idol.

As the new "Minnesota Idol," Keeney snagged a three-album deal with Liquid 8 Records, which sponsored the competition.

"I was ecstatic, I really couldn't believe it," she says.

Keeney entered the contest last fall after a fellow teacher encouraged her to submit a videotaped performance. In January, she became one of eight finalists selected from more than 250 original contestants. The contest's sponsors posted videotaped performances and recorded music tracks online where the public voted on the winner.

"My family and I would always visit Opryland when I was young and just watching those live performances got me interested in singing," says Keeney, who spent several years singing with a band. "I didn't know how to pursue that dream, so when this came along it was just amazing."

Fans can find Keeney's album at Musicland stores and amazon.com.

"I would love to make singing a career, but a lot of it depends on how the record does," Keeney adds. "But even if this doesn't go any further, I've had a great time. It's been a really neat experience."

--K.L.

Got a Tip?

Do yo have an interesting story idea? Contact Kristen Loschert, section editor, at kloschert@nea.org