Dr. Emiel Hamberlin
2001 Inductee
School: | Jean Baptiste Pointe DeSable High School | |
Location: | Chicago, Illinois | |
Subject(s) taught: | Biology and Horticulture | |
Total years in current position: | 36 | |
Total years as a classroom teacher: | 36 | |
Education
1964 | Alcorn State University, Bachelor of Arts in Biology |
1978 | University of Illinois in Champaign, Masters in Vocational Education |
1982 | University of Illinois in Champaign, Doctoral in Horticulture |
1992-1993 | Northwestern University, Advanced Studies |
Career Experience
1964-present | Biology, Horticulture Environmental Studies |
Honors/Awards
1992 | Golden Apple Foundation Academy Fellowship |
1992 | Kohl Family Foundation International Educator |
1988 | Who's Who Among Black Americans - Educators |
1986 | Newsweek Magazine, Inc., 100 American Heroes |
1983 | State of Illinois Master Teacher Award |
1977 | State of Illinois ThoseWhoExcel Teacher of the Year |
1974 | Outstanding Secondary Educator of America |
1971 | City of Chicago Teacher of the Year |
"Over the years I have come to understand how well he understands the needs of children in this community. He knows how to make them feel proud of themselves and to have self-esteem." --Viola Mason, |
Career Highlights
- Emiel was part of a group of teachers that worked with the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago to develop program ideas and educational programs to enable teachers to gain the best educational use of the museum collections.
- He has always used his teaching skills to develop small businesses and business enterprises. He and his students developed a landscaping club where students were actually paid for producing public and private landscapes throughout the city. They have sold balloon arrangements, mother's day plants, flowers for the prom, and many other gift items from their Ornamental Horticulture Program.
- He and his students developed an award winning Urban Ecology Sanctuary where they studied, maintained, and housed various animals, numerous plant life, and unique ecosystems all within an enclosed courtyard on their high school campus.
"His stimulating classroom has become a laboratory for every elementary school in our district, where many classes are brought to get their first hand touch or sight of live animals in a natural habitat."
Charles E. Mingo, Retired Principal, DuSable High School,
Chicago, Illinois
From the National Teachers Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2001 Inductees press release.... |
ABC's 20/20 and Newsweek have featured the classroom of Dr. Emiel Hamberlin, who does not give up on any student. Student entrepreneurs manage all plant sales for a Chicago Sears store. Students work routinely with the City of Chicago's Parks Department, redeveloping and beautifying vacant lots in their blighted community, developing wetlands, growing wild grasses, and establishing ecological parks. A former student who today enjoys a career in medical research said, "He believed in me and my classmates when we did not believe in ourselves. He spent countless hours telling what great things we would be doing and how much we were needed." "Doc let me feed the gerbils." "My boys had gone too far, they were going to be dropouts. But he saved them and for that I will always be thankful." This teacher says his students' achievements are the hallmarks of his achievement. "I want students to know that I care what they do with their lives," said Hamberlin, "My fellow teachers and I put success on their minds, and then push, shake, cajole, shout and sometimes even force success into them." |
"He intertwines school lessons with life's lessons and combines knowledge, passion, compassion and wisdom like no teacher I have ever had, seen or heard about."
Paul Art, Colleague