Mr. Kroll, an English teacher at LCN, has won the Ray H. Lawson Award. The award recognizes an outstanding Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) educator who has demonstrated leadership to the profession and is held in high esteem by colleagues and students.

“It’s an honor and humbling for being recognized for doing something you love,” Kroll said regarding his award.

Kroll has been teaching in L’Anse Creuse for 11 years, with the last nine at LCN. He previously taught at South Lyon High School for two years. He has been involved in the MCTE at the state level as the executive director for the past five years. At the national level, Kroll is the regional representative for the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). In that position he is the coordinator for providing several state affiliates with support from NCTE. He also was the summer school principal intern in 2017.

Kroll said he did not know of his nomination or his name being brought up until he actually was notified that he won the award. “I knew nothing about this until I got the award. I want to thank again Sheila Esshaki, Sharon Hicks, and Heather Chambers for their letters of support for this award.”

Kroll also wanted to thank one of his biggest advocates from MCTE. “Toby Kanhan-Loftus is what makes MCTE so special. She is their biggest advocate, leader, and speaks up when things need to be done. She filled out the application for my award and got the letters of support.”

Kanhan-Loftus taught in Detroit Public Schools for 30 years before spending the last 20 years at the collegiate level.

The award recognizes an outstanding educator as well as a leader. Kroll, on what it means to him to be an outstanding educator, said, “Kids need to be challenged. [An outstanding educator] is someone who challenges students to broaden their horizon. It is being committed to staying relevant in the classroom. At the end of the day, your focus needs to be on the whole child, both as a student and socially.”

Kroll realizes that this award is prestigious and took a moment to reflect on what it meant to him. “It reminds me of the hard work done in the classroom and how important every moment of every day is.”

As students walk away from a class and move on with life, what did they really learn? Sometimes it’s not the content learned in the class, but more the life lessons and memories they create that will be remembered more than the classwork. Kroll said, “English is important, but I want my students to leave here with an ability to be self-starters and have a desire all throughout life to push forward with new endeavors.”

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