National Teachers Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2024

by Gwendolynne Larson

Please Note: Joel Truesdell's first name was incorrect in original distribution.

Emporia, KS (04/10/2024) — Five educators from four U.S. states will be inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in June. Before that, they will visit Washington D.C.

The five were named during surprise announcements in their schools - or former school for one retired teacher - that began March 21 in Wisconsin and concluded Tuesday (April 9) in Maryland.

The members of the Class of 2024 are:

Keith Ballard, a music teacher at Southwest Middle School in San Diego;
Terry Kaldushal, a sixth-grade history teacher at Kettle Moraine Middle School in Dousman, Wisconsin;
Shelly Moore Krajacic, an English language arts teacher at South Milwaukee High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
Keishia Thorpe, a former English success coach and now a principal at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, Maryland; and
Joel Truesdell, a retired chemistry teacher at Kamehameha Schools Hawaii High School in Kea'au, Hawaii.

Founded in 1989 on the campus of Emporia State University, the National Teachers Hall of Fame has inducted five U.S. teachers each year since 1992. The qualifications for induction are:

At least 20 years of full-time pre-K-12 teaching experience.
May be retired or no longer teaching.
Must hold/have held a valid teaching certificate/license from the state in which they are teaching or taught.
Bachelor's Degree or higher.
Be living and able to attend the induction ceremonies in Washington D.C. in May and in Emporia, Kansas, in June.
No self-nominations are allowed.

"The selection process is inherently challenging," said Maddie Fennell, acting executive director of NTHF. "Every year, we are astounded by the caliber of nominees we receive."

The NTHF Class of 2024 will travel to Washington D.C., in early May for ceremonies there. They will travel to Emporia in June for four days of events before the formal induction ceremony on June 21 at Emporia State University.