Local teacher named to Hall of Fame

The National Teachers Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2026 and an East Orange woman is among the five exceptional educators teaching in classrooms across the United States and Japan to be inducted.

The newest inductees were surprised with their nominations over the past several weeks during in-school announcements. They will be formally inducted into the Hall in June in Emporia, Kansas.

Theresa Maughan, high school social studies teacher at East Orange STEM Academy in East Orange, is among the five. The others are:
Margaret “Peg” Cagle, high school mathematics teacher at Reseda Charter Middle/High School and Science Magnet School in Reseda, Calif.
Melyssa Ferro, middle school science teacher at Syringa Middle School in Caldwell, Idaho.

Carla Neely, middle school science and social studies teacher at the Andrew J. Rickoff School in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Michael Anthony Pope, middle school math, science and gifted teacher for the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity in Japan.

This year’s selection process drew a record number of candidates, a surge the Hall attributes in large part to the national attention generated when CBS Mornings featured the announcement of the Class of 2025. That broadcast introduced millions of viewers to the mission of the National Teachers Hall of Fame and inspired a wave of new nominations from across the country.

“Every year, we are astounded by the caliber of nominees we receive,” said Maddie Fennell, executive director of the National Teachers Hall of Fame. “The response following our CBS Mornings feature was extraordinary. It reminded the country just how many remarkable teachers are out there – and how much they deserve to be recognized.”

In June, the Class of 2026 will travel to Emporia, Kansas – home of the National Teachers Hall of Fame – for Induction Week. Activities will include a panel discussion, a city proclamation and media events.

On Saturday, June 20, at 10 a.m., inductees will participate in the rededication of the National Memorial to Fallen Educators by laying wreaths at the monument. Their formal induction ceremony will be held that evening at Emporia State University.

All 12 finalists will attend Education Summit 2026, a new initiative of the National Teachers Hall of Fame in partnership with Pegasus Springs Education Collective. The summit brings educators together for three days of learning, collaboration and inspiration in June at Walt Disney
World’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort and Convention Center.

“This is more than just an event,” said Fennell. “It’s a celebration of teaching and a catalyst for the future of education. Educators from across the nation will come together to share, collaborate and grow. Inspired by National Teachers Hall of Fame inductees and other outstanding presenters, participants will engage in a powerful learning experience that connects colleagues and reimagines education.”

Established in 1989, the National Teachers Hall of Fame honors career teachers from public, private and parochial schools across the country. To be eligible, nominees must have at least 20 years of full-time classroom teaching and complete a rigorous selection process that includes essays, recommendations and interviews.

The mission of the National Teachers Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor exceptional career teachers, encourage excellence in education and preserve the rich legacy of the teaching profession in the United States.

For more information about the National Teachers Hall of Fame, Induction Week and Education Summit 2026, visit nthf.org.