The Kansas Teachers’ Hall of Fame announced the names of ten exemplary Kansas Educators selected for this year's Class of 2025 honors, and among those chosen is Cynthia Kiser, retired Parsons High School/Parsons Middle School Family and Consumer Sciences teacher.
The Class of 2025 will be the 49th group to be inducted into the Kansas Teachers’ Hall of Fame. A luncheon and induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 7, at the Dodge City Civic Center, 2112 First Ave.
Founded in 1977, the Kansas Teachers’ Hall of Fame was the first state hall of fame in the nation dedicated to honoring outstanding educators. Since its establishment, more than 450 teachers have been inducted.
Nominees are selected based on a set of rigorous criteria, including a minimum of 25 years of teaching in Kansas K–12 schools. Additional qualifications include outstanding teaching performance, positive student and parent interactions, community involvement, a commitment to professional development, and a philosophy of education that serves as a model for others.
Nominations are submitted from each of Kansas’ twelve educational districts, and final selections are made by a state committee that meets each March.
Kiser joined Parsons USD 503 in 1976. She worked at Parsons Junior High, the middle school and Parsons High School as a home economics teacher and was instrumental in founding the Family and Consumer Science and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America programs in the district.
Kiser devoted her efforts to projects in and out of the classroom. She served as the sponsor for student organizations like FCCLA and FHS/HERO.
She served in different capacities with the Kansas Association of Vocational Home Economics and the Kansas Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, including serving as the District President in 2001.
She and Janette Luthi created a slideshow presentation in 1985 on home economics at the middle school that was selected by Barbara Havlicek at KSU to be used to show to other home economics teachers throughout the state.
She was not only highly involved, but liked to get her students involved in projects. For example, in 1990, she and English teacher Dianna Brenn started the Desert Shield Project with students to send care packages to troops stationed in the Middle East. Over the course of two days the teachers and students packed the care packages which included 2,000 homemade cookies, paperback books, playing cards, popcorn, bubblegum, homemade videotapes of good wishes, preschoolers’ pictures and a flood of letters. According to the Parsons Sun, “the project had mushroomed over the course of a few weeks with overwhelming community support.” Brenn and Kiser received the Oasis Award in 1991 from the Kansas Middle Level Educators Association for community involvement in spearheading the project.
In 1990, Kiser was one five area teachers named as a finalist for the honor of 2000 Educator of the Year at the Parsons Chamber of Commerce 6th annual educators' reception. The teachers were nominated by their peers and had to complete a written application process before being considered a finalist. The annual event was held in conjunction with American Education Week to honor all educators. Other finalists were Robie Martin, Peggy Brecheisen, Floretta Haggard, and Chris Laney.
Kiser, retired from Parsons USD 503 in 2003 after devoting 33 years to teaching, 27 of which were in Parsons.
"It has been great teaching many of you here, having former students come back and then working with them as colleagues," Kiser said at her retirement reception. "And I like it when former students become parents and come back saying, ‘You were right.'"
Kiser is also a retired adjunct instructor at Independence Community College.
Since her retirement, Kiser has as well devoted many years to serving as a judge at the Labette County Fair in both 4-H Food and Clothing competitions, continuing to impart her valuable FACS knowledge onto the youth of today.
Other teachers to be inducted into the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame this year include: Jacqulyn Ashcraft, Hutchinson; Kirstin Bangerter, Dodge City; Tonya Cogan, El Dorado; Brenda McDaniel, Salina; Mary McGroarty, Dodge City; Erma Moses, Lyons; Sarah Short, Goodland; Sue Ann Tebo, Hays; Brenda Vogts, Canton and Elizabeth Anstine, KTOY, Leavenworth.