Dedication, leadership and passion on extensive list of roles filled by local educator

DES MOINES, IA (04/10/2018) (readMedia)-- Chris Bern, an educator at North High School in Des Moines, received the Iowa State Education Association's (ISEA's) top honor, the Charles F. Martin Award for Association Leadership. Bern accepted the honor on Saturday, April 7, before a group of nearly 300 educators attending the ISEA Delegate Assembly at Prairie Meadows Convention Center in Altoona.

The Charles F. Martin Award for Association Leadership has been presented annually since 1972 to recognize an ISEA member who has made significant contributions to the teaching profession through Association involvement. Named in honor of the late Charles F. Martin, who served as ISEA president in 1945 and then as executive director from 1946 to 1961, the award is given to an educator who embodies the link between the Association's mission and the impact it has in the classroom.

As a founding member of Iowa Safe Schools, Chris worked to bring LGBTQ issues in schools to the forefront. Working to stop bullying and help build an organization in Iowa Safe Schools that supports the thousands of youth who need information and resources to live healthy and happy lives.

"Chris is one of the most committed and compassionate leaders the ISEA has had the privilege of working with" said Tammy Wawro, President of the ISEA. "Chris spent his professional life dedicated to being a leader in the classroom and in his professional association. As former President of the ISEA, he helped shape the face of public education and we will be eternally grateful for the educators, students and community members he inspired. Chris truly embodies the Charles F. Martin Award," Wawro added.

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The ISEA is a professional association made up of educators who are dedicated to supporting and protecting a quality public education for all Iowa students.