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Giving every student the opportunity to be successful
University of Mary alumni receives Teacher of the Year honor
For Trevor Lennon, teaching extends far beyond the four walls of his classroom. While Lennon primarily teaches video, web design, and multimedia courses at Grand Forks Central High School, you can also find him coaching football and basketball, supervising student-led clubs and organizations, and spending time with his wife, Melissa, whom he has known since the sixth grade, and three-year-old daughter, Olivia.
Lennon was raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota, until his family moved to Bismarck when his dad became the head coach of the University of Mary football team. Lennon was later recruited to play football for the Marauders and graduated in 2014 with his bachelor’s in Business Administration and Business Education.
Lennon never considered himself a strong student in the classroom and often relied on the tutoring services the University of Mary offers to help him overcome challenging courses.
It was at the University of Mary that Lennon developed the teaching philosophy that would ultimately lead to the honor of being named Teacher of the Year. “My philosophy is that every student has the opportunity to be successful. One of the hardest parts of teaching is not every student believes they can succeed, so I always celebrate their accomplishments, big or small,” Lennon said.
Lennon was named Teacher of the Year by the Grand Forks Public Schools this past spring. “I am incredibly honored that my administration chose me to represent Grand Forks Public Schools as their Teacher of the Year. It is something I never thought I would earn, and it still feels surreal to me,” Lennon said.
In a nomination letter shared in the Grand Forks Herald, a parent of one of Lennon’s students wrote, “I don’t know Mr. Lennon personally outside of work, but I am so thankful my son is one of his students and in his extracurricular activities. I am a single mother battling cancer and know with everything he does for the kids, that I have one less thing to worry about.
Lennon strives to care for his students in the same way that he felt his professors, advisors, coaches, and the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery did for him during his time at Mary.
These lessons of servant leadership were particularly helpful when COVID-19 altered traditional educational settings and the way that Lennon was used to interacting with his students.
According to Lennon, his approach this last spring was to be more understanding with the students than ever before. “Everyone was experiencing something during those last three months of school that nobody was prepared to go through. Some students thrived in the online model and
others struggled. It was important for all the students to know that we teachers were there to help them,” Lennon said.
For new teachers entering the field, Lennon advises them to remember to have fun, be themselves, and watch and learn from other teachers. “I know I wouldn’t have received this award if it had not been for all of the teachers, para-professionals, students, and administrators that I have worked with and learned from over the years. I am so thankful for all they have taught me,” Lennon said.
Lennon was excited to return to his classroom in the fall, motivated by the students that started it all. “There are so many reasons why I teach. It’s impossible to say them all. But my all-time favorite teaching experience is watching students grow. As a high school teacher, the students come in as kids, and when they leave, they are young adults. It’s a fulfilling experience to watch a young person you have taught, coached, and celebrated with complete major life milestones.”
