VFW's Ohio HS Teacher of the Year brings lessons in citizenship outside the classroom

Recently named the High School Teacher of the Year by her local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, the wider VFW district, and the state VFW organization under the VFW's Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher Program, Celina Education Association member Alicia Ball is dedicated to teaching her students be good citizens by getting them outside their classroom and building up their community, and she's always adding new projects to her list. In this episode, Ball explains why she's so passionate about her students' community service, and how these activities help fuel her through hard times and good times alike.


HELP ALICIA'S STUDENTS | If you have connections, resources, or any ideas that can help Alicia Ball take her students to volunteer at a soup kitchen in New York City, please send Alicia an email at ansneddon@gmail.com


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Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• Alicia Ball, Celina Education Association member
• Alicia Ball is the proud mom of two girls, Baylie and Linden, and wife to Andy. She is teaching English at Celina High School and is just about to complete year 15. She teaches dance part time and loves reading, boating, and shopping. 

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• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

The interview in this episode was recorded on April 17, 2025.