(Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP) U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Christian Cheetham, an Alvirne High teacher who oversees the school's Junior ROTC program, chats with state Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut after Cheetham received the state 2023 Teacher of the Year award at a school-wide assembly Monday.

HUDSON – A series of speakers ranging from state Education Commissioner, Alvirne High administrators and current and former students, a Teacher of the Year selection committee member and two fellow career military officers spent the better part of an hour heaping praise and adulation upon Alvirne teacher Christian Cheetham, who also heads up the school’s Junior ROTC program.

When each speaker had said his or her piece, Cheetham, the newly crowned the 2023 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year, took the microphone, said something about the moment being “surreal,” then re-directed much of that praise and adulation back toward his audience for helping to make him the successful soldier, teacher, community member and family man he is today.

On Monday, which happened to be “pajama day” on campus, an unsuspecting Cheetham was lured into Alvirne’s C. J. Steckevicz gym for what he thought was a school-wide assembly to kick off “Spirit Week.”

But it wasn’t long before Cheetham began suspecting something was up, something that everyone – except him – seemed to be in on.

Any doubts Cheetham may have had melted away about halfway through Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edleblut’s remarks, when the commissioner, who had yet to name Cheetham or introduce him as the N.H. Teacher of the Year, mentioned the award winner “just may be the most fit Teacher of the Year we’ve ever awarded,” and is a big fan of the movie “Hoosiers” and is known as an “Ultimate Frisbee fanatic.”

(Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP) A shower of confetti descends on a beaming Christian Cheetham, an Air Force officer and Alvirne High teacher named the 2023 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year, during last week's presentation and celebration at Alvirne.

Applause and cheers erupted as Edleblut called Cheetham forward to the speaking platform, where he was joined by several of his Junior ROTC students who carried a large banner, congratulating Cheetham and his school, onto the stage and unfurled it.

Other cadets picked up hand-held “confetti cannons” and fired them simultaneously, filling the air with multi-colored confetti that eventually enveloped Cheetham and anyone standing near him.

Cheetham was then given the honor of ringing the heavy, brass “Celebration Bell,” which is brought out on special occasions.

Cheetham grew emotional at times during his remarks, in which he praised his co-workers as “tremendous people … there are so many great teachers here at Alvirne. I learned so much from them. Everyone made me better,” he said.

As a career military officer who went into teaching following retirement, Cheetham recalled how pleased he was to discover that his fellow Alvirne teachers displayed “all the characteristics I love” about those he served with in the Air Force.

(Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP) A shower of confetti rains down on Lt. Col. Christian Cheetham, the Alvirne teacher and Junior ROTC leader named the 2023 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year, at a presentation celebration at Alvirne last week.

“I soon found I was working with the same (type of) people I’d been working with all my life,” he added, referring to the Air Force.

Cheetham said he considers himself “very, very blessed to have the best kids anyone would want to work with,” referring especially to his Junior ROTC students.

New Hampshire First Lady Valerie Sununu, a former educator and longtime member of the Teacher of the Year selection committee, told the assembly that the process of choosing each year’s Teacher of the Year is a long, arduous, often exhausting undertaking, especially when members must choose from several highly-qualified candidates.

“One of the reasons we chose the colonel was because of your community,” Sununu said. “Your school also impressed us … you are so lucky to have him in your community.”

Deputy Commissioner of Education Christine Brennan echoed Sununu’s sentiment, recalling the selection committee being “overwhelmed with the high-caliber teachers considered for this award. New Hampshire is lucky to have such a devoted group of educators who are making a difference in the lives of our youth,” Brennan said.

(Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP) Lt. Col. Christian Cheetham addresses his fellow Alvirne teachers, students, military officers and guests during the presentation celebration last week of the 2023 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year award.

During the process, the committee learned that Cheetham’s classroom culture centers around teamwork, good manners, community service and mutual respect. He is also known for pushing students beyond their comfort zone to instill resiliency and universal skills needed in today’s world.

Edelblut, before introducing Cheetham, said the colonel “has shown exemplary leadership abilities throughout his time as a teacher, and his commitment to excellence in education is obvious to those students who have had the pleasure of sitting in his classroom,” Edelblut said.

The DOE “commends his passion for collaborative teaching, taking on new initiatives and recognizing that all students are worthy,” Edelblut added.

Principal Steve Beals, who handled master of ceremonies duties at the celebration, described Cheetham as a man with integrity, leadership and exceptional communication skills who has been an integral part of the school and community.

“Chris is a wonderful leader with an infectious ability to share stories about his distinguished military career, support colleagues in and out of school, and support, through multiple service activities, our local American Legion and VFW organizations,” Beals said at the outset of the program.

(Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP) Alvirne High School students applaud and cheer Air Force Lt. Col. Christian Cheetham as he makes his way to the speaking platform to receive the 2023 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year Award Monday. A teacher at Avlrine for 8 years, Cheetham oversees the school's Junior ROTC program.

In his application essay, Cheetham wrote, ìI think kids and adults are desperate for real experiences. Technology is robbing us of our humanity and I strive every day to bring the humanity back Ã- In my opinion, our students are desperate for real mentoring relationships.”

Cheetham will now go on to represent New Hampshire at the National Teacher of the Year competition early next year.

Cheetham, along with his nine fellow finalists and three fellow finalists, will be invited to a Leadership in Education dinner program in December.

Three of the four finalists teach in the Nashua area: Susan Bradford, third grade teacher at James Mastricola Elementary School in Merrimack; Jennifer MacLeod, eighth grade teacher, Hollis Brookline Middle School; and Cheetham. The fourth is Curt McDermott, Goffstown High School teacher.

With his 2023 selection, Cheetham became the second Greater Nashua teacher in three years to win the honor. Danielle Boutin, an ELL teacher at Nashua’s Ledge Street School, won in 2021.

(Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP) Alvirne High student Anthony Grauslys, the student commander of Alvirne's Junior ROTC program, gives Lt. Col. Christian Cheetham a congratulatory hug after Cheetham was named New Hampshire's 2023 Teacher of the Year. Cheetham oversees the Junior ROTC program, an elective course for students grades 9-12.

The 2022 Teacher of the Year was Sara Casassa, a language arts teacher at Barnard School in South Hampton.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

Newsletter