Oxford Middle School Choir Director Jan Flynn received a local Teacher of the Year Award from North Oakland Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 334 on Jan. 20 as part of the VFW’s Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award program.

The VFW Teacher of the Year award contest recognizes three exceptional teachers for their outstanding commitment to teaching Americanism and patriotism to their students.

The plaque stated that Flynn was recognized for her “excellence in promoting citizenship, education and the patriotic principles of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.”

For 16 years now, Flynn has voluntarily organized the Americana Concert at OHS around Veterans Day. This event regularly consists of patriotic songs performed by middle school choir students, inspiring speeches and the participation of local veterans.

Flynn was touched to receive the award.

“I was just so honored and so thankful. Veterans are just so supportive. They believe in our kids and they believe in our program. It was very sweet,” Flynn said. “The Americana Concert, we’ve done 16 of them. I do them because it’s important that students have a sense of history and an understanding of what has gone before them. To be able to convey that through a patriotic concert has been a beautiful experience for everybody.”

Flynn was nominated for the award by VFW Post 334 Commander Jim Hubbard, who said she has now been nominated to go on to compete at the VFW’s national level.

“Jan’s done so much for the schools, so much for us veterans . . . inviting us to her class every year and letting us talk to her kids and putting on the Americana Concert every year … Everything she does has something to do with supporting the military and veterans,” Hubbard said.

According to Hubbard, the VFW Teacher of the Year award aims to recognize deserving teachers throughout the country for their services to children.

“Teachers get little recognition for all the work that they do and are valuable leaders of our young adults,” he said.

“They really don’t get much praise for all the work that they do. It’s a tough job and yet they lead and guide our children in the right directions and make something out of every one of them.”