There's going to be some bragging on this ridiculously studly man. I cannot help myself.
Ryan received the "Golden Apple Award" at work.
He was chosen out of a staff of over 100 people.
He was nominated for just plain being an outstanding teacher, and for what he does with Terracycle.
He started it at his school, and has for the past three years been using his lunch breaks to lead kids in gathering and sorting things that would normally go in the trash...chip bags, toothpaste tubes, markers, capri sun bags, etc....boxing them up and sending them to a company that turns them into treasures like pencil bags.
They have raised over $2000 for a climbing wall for the school.
He does all that on top of leading 25 teachers on his team, and just plain teaching 6th graders to read and write. In a very challenged socio-economic school.
We were really lucky to have all 4 of our parents at the ceremony and out to dinner afterwards.
My favorite part of the night was watching the kids watch him.
He's one of "those teachers"...
He sells packs of gum to students for cheap between classes because it gives them a positive way to interact with him in the halls. And believe it or not, they work better with gum in their mouth.
He invented a trading card game to motivate kids to actually enjoy learning the state standards and tracking their own progress.
He brought his students to "proficient" on the state tests.
He just earned his "English as a Second or Other Language" endorsement.
He planted a garden with his kids.
Yep, one of those.
He's leaving teaching for an office job working with efficiency at Excel - an awesome manufacturing business here in town. He is extremely excited - its exactly what he's been wanting to do for a long time. I'm sad that teaching as a profession is so draining on individuals and families. Sad that so few people recognize just how agonizingly difficult the job is. Sad that more kids won't get to have him as their teacher. But so very very happy that he gets to make this change.
And so grateful that he was recognized for the amazing job he has done!