Keith Ingram

Degree: Elementary Education
Year: 1960

What does racing Porsches, Corvettes and motorcycles have in common with selling gasoline, racing downhill mountain bicycles, milking a wild cow at a rodeo and being bitten by a police dog during a school board meeting?

Well, if you add running in the New York City and Dallas White Rock Marathons, being featured (twice) on ABC-TV's "Foul-Ups, Bleeps, and Bloopers;" and making New Mexico history by earning a bachelor's degree in education while serving on a board of education — you have the ever-irrepressible Keith Ingram who teaches at Marshall Junior High School in Clovis.

In a "typically Keith" approach, he wrote a book titled, "Surprise! Teachers Come From the Human Race!" It's about teachers, for teachers, and even for parents who sometimes don't understand teachers. It's an easy read, straightforward, with larger than usual type, and boldface comments on many of the pages. It's fun and readers may even find themselves laughing out loud at the stories and the mental pictures Keith paints. Keith has transferred his years of experience of doing wild and crazy things into an uninhibited and creative teaching career in junior high school.

Administrators sometimes look askance and aren't real sure what to do with him. But, the students admire his honest manner and appreciate the encouragement he gives them to expand their minds, to look at things in a different manner, and most importantly — to start loving to learn and wanting to get an education.

Neil Nuttall, superintendent of the Clovis Municipal Schools said, "Even though Keith is relatively new to class-room teaching, he demonstrates a passion for education and we can tell, that for him, education is a mission." Keith gets letters — lots of letters — all kinds of letters. Following a class project, aimed at showing students the responsibility of being a parent, students had to carry around for a week a shoebox heavy with rocks and dirt that supported an "egg baby."

"That egg was their responsibility. It was considered child abuse to leave it alone." The court (the teacher, Keith) took off points for neglect.

One student wrote, "I had so much stress over one little bitty egg. I promise I will never have a baby until I'm like 50. My girlfriend almost broke up with me because I paid more attention to the stupid egg than I did to her. My mom got mad at me because I kept leaving it everywhere. After a couple of days it started to stink. I don't like you, Mr. Ingram."

Here is another letter: "I admire being in your class. You have helped me a lot 'cause we both know that in the beginning of the school year I was a bum and didn’t really care about school. All of the other teachers gave up on me, but you didn'’t, you kept on pushing me to do my best, and I thank you for that. I've never had a teacher like you."

This untypical teacher has adapted his slightly off-center sense of humor and observations about education to motivational speeches for educators, presentations for teachers' in-service meetings, and keynote talks for conferences. Keith's first presentation was for the Chandler, Ariz., schools. The superintendent, Dr. Howard Conley, wrote: “I believe by the number of times you were interrupted by applause, you can realize the great effect you had on our staff.

Consider these comments following a workshop at the College of the Southwest:

"Mr. Ingram was excellent, very motivating. He made us feel like we chose the right profession even though some days are bad."

"I cried from laughing. How nice to hear from someone else who is in the trenches with us."

"Your humor, presentation style, and real-life stories were entertaining and offered hope and inspiration to our educators."

William Guttu, president of Guttu Productions, booked Keith for a presentation to a group of educators in Greenville, North Carolina. He said, "Keith demonstrates a passion for his profession and well represents the Clovis Schools. Keith is a gem in the rough and should be commended for his commitment to education. Thank you for sharing one of your 'super stars' with Eastern North Carolina."

Linda Bambia, a teather in the Dallas Public Schools, wrote: "May you let Keith bring his wit, wisdom and incredibly expressive voice to your convention."

Dr. Elwyn Hulett, director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at ENMU, booked Keith for a presentation at the fifth annual CTE Action Research Conference in Taos. Dr. Hulett wrote: "Surprise! Teachers Come from the Human Race!" was an excellent kick-off for the conference. You had the reality of teachers at the heart of your talk which was understood and appreciated by the teachers, professors and administrators who were there."

MSgt. Tammy Whitney-Rush, flight chief for Cannon AFB's Airman Leadership School, asked Keith to speak at a graduation ceremony. We've received numerous positive comments from many of the 160 people who attended the ceremony," she noted. "His support enhanced the relationship between the Cannon people and the local communities. We definitely want to use Keith again."

Keith's wife, Peggy, teaches science and biology at Clovis High School. They have a daughter, Lindsey, who is a pre-med major at the University of New Mexico.