Featured Educator: Elisabeth Franz Grant

With 39 years of professional experience, Mrs. Grant was a kindergarten teacher at York Central School in Rets of, NY, from 1968 to 1993, where she was previously a first-grade teacher from 1960 to 1968. Before obtaining these roles, she was a kindergarten teacher at Perry Elementary School from 1955 to 1959, having been a fourth-grade teacher at the school from 1954 to 1955. Earlier in her career, she was a kindergarten teacher at Plainedge Primary School from 1953 to 1954.

Mrs. Grant began her career as a student at the State University of New York at Geneseo, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1953 and completing postgraduate coursework with the university. She has been certified as a schoolteacher in the state of New York. She is also a member of the Genesee Valley Council of the Arts, the National War Plane Museum, the Livingston County Retired Teachers Association, and the Rochester Ski Club. Likewise, she served as a moderator and judged for High School Brainstormers Teams in Mount Morris, NY, for four years and has been involved in numerous civic endeavors, including serving on the Community Advisory Panel at the Arkema Chemical plant, assisting as an EMT on the local ambulance squad for seven years, volunteering annually to do programs and publicity for the York-Leicester Field Day Association and Fireworks, performing in the Genesee Community Players Theatrical Group, and spent over 35 years as a member, assistant director, and section teacher in the Genesee Valley and Rochester Choruses of Sweet Adelines.

Following her retirement from teaching, she wrote 12 musical plays for 1st and 2nd graders to perform and composed the music. She also wrote songs used each year at Kindergarten Graduation and accompanied the children on the piano. The musical plays were based on familiar fairy tales and were presented at several area schools. Mrs. Grant provided a cassette tape, sheet music, script, and VCR tape and suggested classroom activities to assist those teachers choosing to have their students perform these plays.

Throughout her career, Mrs. Grant has been recognized for her achievements, including being named Sweet Adeline of the Year in both choruses and Senior Citizen of the Year by the York Towners Senior Citizen's group for her volunteer work and community involvement. She has also been featured in numerous honors publications, including Who's Who in America. However, among the highlights of her career, she cites appreciating her family's successes and loving support as the most rewarding.