MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — A beloved educator who dedicated much of his life to teaching in classrooms all across the globe, including here Nashville, celebrated a milestone birthday today. Frank Michanowicz celebrated his 100th birthday on Labor Day.
Frank Michanowicz, who holds the distinction of being Nashville's longest-serving substitute teacher, was surrounded by family and friends as he reflected on a century of adventures that took him from naval service to classrooms around the world.
"I met a lot of great people," Michanowicz said in the midst of one story he told the crowd.
The centenarian's journey began with military service in World War II, where he served in the U.S. Navy. After the war, he came to Nashville and graduated from George Peabody Teaching College, where he met his wife Barbara.
Then, he and his young family embarked on a teaching career that would take him and his family across the globe — living in Germany, France and Italy while serving as both a teacher and principal on U.S. military bases.
"Each one of them, I'd ask, when they got their diploma, what skills do you possess to get you a job?" Michanowicz said.
His dedication to education didn't end when he returned to Middle Tennessee. For 30 more years, he worked for Metro Schools, continuing his passion for helping students succeed. Even after retirement, his commitment to education persisted. When he noticed students struggling with mathematics, he felt compelled to help.
"I was reading in the newspaper where they were failing in math, and that inspired me to continue with them to help them in math," Michanowicz said.
His son Mark praised his father's dedication to education. "He's the longest serving substitute teacher in Nashville, TN," Mark Michanowicz said.
Frank only stepped away from his substitute teaching role at age 95 due to the pandemic, marking the end of an extraordinary educational career. "Well I'm very happy that they remembered me," Michanowicz said.
The celebration was truly international, with family members traveling from around the world to honor the centenarian. His son made the journey from Italy, his daughter came from Denmark, and his oldest grandson traveled from South Korea. "Thank you, Dad. You're the best," Mark said.
As family and friends gathered to sing "Happy Birthday" — in multiple languages — it was clear that Frank Michanowicz continues to teach valuable lessons about living a full and meaningful life.
Do you know of another senior citizen celebrating a milestone birthday? Share their story by emailing me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
Music lessons for just 50 cents! A Nashville music school has been providing that to area students for over 40 years including for the city's current mayor. As a child, I always wanted to take piano lessons. I was able to for about 6 months but had to stop due to family finances. I would have loved to have had access to a program like this at the W. O. Smith Music School.
- Lelan Statom
