Howard receives ‘Teacher of the Year’ award

Clarendon High School science teacher Bruce Howard has been named the 2013-2014 Teacher of the Year among secondary teachers in Region 16.

Karla Flowers of Spearman ISD’s Gus Bridwell Elementary School received the award for elementary teachers, and she and Howard received this honor at a ceremony honoring 16 finalists held during the Region 16 i3 Conference & Expo at the Amarillo Civic Center recently.

Howard has been teaching science for 33 years, the last four of which have been at CHS. Prior to that, he taught at Hedley High school and Lake Country Christian School in Fort Worth.

Howard received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and a Master’s of Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Educational role models have been plentiful in his life. His interest in education began through the example several teachers. He appreciated the wonderful foundation he received in their classrooms and thought he might be able to do the same for others.

Howard’s mother was a career educator and his father turned from veterinary medicine to become a college professor. Setting and maintaining high academic standards in the classroom, preparing students for the rigorous college classroom environment are just some of the reasons he teaches. Former students have been accepted into prestigious universities and exceled.

One thing that seems to play a role in his student’s academic success is their participation in UIL academic competitions. Teams he has coached have won 32 invitational meets during the last 20 years.

Many times, college professors will state that students from small schools come to university at a disadvantage. Over and over, Howard’s students prove them wrong. His motivation and joy is preparing his students for the rigors of college.

Howard and Flowers will now represent Region 16 at the Texas Education Agency Teachers of the Year Awards in October, when all state and regional winners will be honored.  One state winner will be chosen to represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year program in Washington, DC, in the spring.

Region 16 is comprised of 62 school districts and two charter schools in the Texas Panhandle.

Region 16 facilitates and hosts the Teacher of the Year program and ceremony annually in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency.

This year’s program was sponsored by Happy State Bank.