The Feathers are teachers. Our maternal grandmothers, well before the women’s movement, pursued higher education to teach. Of their four granddaughters, three became teachers: Barbara earned a B.S. in Psychology and then a Master’s and Montessori certification. She recently retired a master educator after 40 years of teaching in the Brooklyn Montessori School. Susan earned a B.S. in English and M.S. in Deaf Education and a secondary teacher certification, then later certified in science. She taught middle school and high school biology, and environmental education at museums, zoos, and nature centers. Kathy pursued a bachelor’s and master’s in interdisciplinary studies and comparative religion. While she never taught in public schools, she instructs us often on life education, and more recently, about autism. Her son Liberty in on the Spectrum. After Beverly retired, she was a great source of practical information for Kathy about Liberty’s development, often attending his I.E.P. meetings with Kathy. Thus, the Acierno Scholarship focuses on teacher preparation in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Liz (Colrick) Feathers-George received her Elementary and Special Education certifications, following in the footsteps of the clan and her illustrious mother-in-law, Barbie. She is teaching fourth-grade students in Queens.
Heather Hufton, daughter of Susan, taught art to middle school students in Phoenix and arts education at a girls empowerment camp in Connecticut.
Together the Feathers family has made a great contribution to the education of American school children — more than 100 years of service. This would please our mother, Milly Feathers, who achieved only a high school education but who encouraged her daughters to go to college and earn a teacher certificate. I think she would feel very proud today.
Beverly and Jennifer Acierno Scholarship 