BROOKFIELD, MO, April 02, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Carol E. Cook has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Mrs. Cook has dedicated her life to education, with a career spanning five decades. She began her career in a third-grade classroom at Northwestern R-I School. Her passion was working with those students who struggled academically or socially. It was important to her that every student understood his or her value and that any goal could be reached if the student was willing to work for it. During this time, her expertise in teaching earned her recognition in Who's Who Among America's Teachers.

After 28 years in the classroom, Mrs. Cook accepted a position as the coordinator of the district's at-risk program, which supported students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. In this capacity, she identified and addressed the obstacles that could prevent students from graduating, whether academic, social or otherwise. Her commitment to ensuring academic success was unwavering, and she took great pride in seeing her students graduate, especially those who had been on the verge of dropping out before she intervened.

In addition to her teaching roles, Mrs. Cook made significant contributions through grant writing. Her efforts in this capacity provided a laptop for each teacher, classroom laptops for students in grades four through six, Smart Boards for every classroom and a well-equipped computer lab. An additional grant allowed the district to establish a career lab, where high school students could gain hands-on experience with equipment used in various industries and engage in problem-solving as they addressed situations that might arise in a real-life workplace. This was a great program to assist students in choosing a career path.

In 2010, Mrs. Cook accepted a position with the Missouri Department of Corrections. She initially worked in a male prison in Cameron, Missouri, where she played a pivotal role in helping incarcerated men obtain High School Equivalency (HSE) certificates. This effort was crucial in providing these men with better job opportunities upon release.

Mrs. Cook's most recent role was as a teacher at the Chillicothe Correction Center, where she served from 2014 until her retirement. During this time, she assisted female inmates who had not graduated from high school or passed an HSE test. The program required passing challenging tests in science, social studies, reading, language arts and math. After reviewing test and assignment data, Mrs. Cook developed lessons tailored to each individual's specific needs, creating worksheets when extra practice and more detailed help were needed. Her dedication to education and rehabilitation was evident as she helped these women understand that their past did not define their future. At the last graduation ceremony Mrs. Cook attended before retiring, she was presented with a Service Award from the Missouri Department of Corrections and the Chillicothe Correction Center.

Mrs. Cook's educational background includes a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Mid-America Nazarene University and a master's degree in curriculum development from Central Missouri State University. She attributes much of her success to her relationship with God, believing that He has instilled in her the desire to seek out students who need the most help and find ways to assist them. She finds it very rewarding to help students listen, think critically and take opportunities to ask questions and seek knowledge.

Mrs. Cook is also an author, having published "Tankoon: Book One of Caitlyn's Dragon" through Xlibris in 2012. In her personal life, she enjoys reading, knitting, crocheting, making jewelry and spending time with her family. Looking ahead, she plans to tutor and volunteer where help is needed, continuing her lifelong commitment to helping others and making a positive impact on her community.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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