F. ROBERTSON HERSHEY DISTINGUISHED FACULTY AWARD
Hershey Award Winner Owen Bryant embodies the best of us Nathan Clendenin
By Lyn Streck, Lower School Science Teacher LEFT: History teacher Owen Bryant is a favorite of students and colleagues.
O
wen Bryant, this year’s recipient of the F. Robertson Hershey Excellence in Teaching Award, brings attributes of tenderness, compassion, empathy, fairness and tolerance into his daily engagement with the entire Durham Academy community. He is a life-changing teacher. In the 14 years since he arrived at Durham Academy, Owen has consistently made his mark among our faculty and students. In his duties as chair of the History Department, he demonstrates leadership to his colleagues by positive example. “He walks the walk," always interested in what other teachers are doing in their classrooms, and he makes sure that his fellow history instructors have materials that instill excitement into their classrooms, helping lessons to virtually come alive to capture students' inquisitive nature. It is a common occurrence to find Owen being approached for advice in his daily routine. He is generous in lending words of wisdom and solutions, always encouraging his colleagues to expand their horizons by attending a conference or a lecture in the areas they have shown a repeated academic interest. Owen’s peers regard him as “a super teacher who is sensitive to the needs of all of his students, while challenging them in appropriate ways,” as one colleague put it. Another colleague remarks, “He understands that each student learns differently, and his lessons offer a variety of approaches and perspectives. He uses technology effectively, and his students have produced multimedia projects that have been excellent.” Whether it’s encouraging students to watch CNN Student News reports, pushing them to excel by going beyond project curriculum requirements, or always seeking students' feedback on the effectiveness of any new assignments he creates — it’s clear to any observer of Owen’s actions that creating a collaborative learning environment is of utmost importance. Each year, Owen organizes and leads a Civil Rights tour for juniors, who study American history. “Lean into discomfort,” he advises everyone as they embark on a uniquely constructed trip through the South. The trip is designed to encourage students to 28
D U R H A M A C A D EMY
|
SUMME R 2 0 1 5
|
WWW.D A.ORG
reflect on some of the best and worst times in American history. For someone to grow, they need to see all aspects of history. For many students as “pilgrims” on this tour, the lengthy bus ride becomes a time for reflection and conversation, an immersive experience to better understand race and culture in our country by standing on the same ground as people who risked their lives in the name of equality and freedom. As with the tour, Owen’s American Social History class fosters a safe environment in which students can voice their opinions and leave class each day feeling enriched and whole. How better to learn than when your opinions are heard and respected? “I love his class and look forward to it each day,” a student revealed. His students understand he has high expectations of them, but that he is fair in his grading and evaluations. One colleague reminds us “it takes a very talented teacher to accomplish that.” How life-changing a teacher is Owen Bryant, a humble and unassuming scholar and who is a black belt in taekwondo? The unequivocal answer is seen in the product of his work, his students. His quiet, gentle manner makes him approachable, yet below lies an influential, dedicated, driven, principled educator focused on championing his students personally as well as in the classroom. One former student simply stated, “Mr. Bryant saved me.” Another young man, going through a rough patch, was mentored by Owen and in sharing their love of taekwondo, they returned together to the Middle School for a presentation. A recent DA graduate shared, “Mr. Bryant’s huge grin, funny laugh and care to make his classroom a happy and comfortable place to learn was so comforting to me when I first arrived on the Upper School campus as a freshman.” For teaching us all about humility, compassion, empathy, fairness and tolerance while enriching our knowledge of history and changing so many lives in positive and progressive ways, Owen embodies the best of us, as one colleague wrote. He is indeed worthy of this award. EDITOR’S NOTE: Lyn Streck was the 2014 recipient of the F. Robertson Hershey Distinguished Faculty Award.