He’s eligible for the honor of Maryland Teacher Of the Year.
Brunswick Middle School social studies teacher Scott Strait got the surprise of his life on Monday. He was named Frederick County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year for 2016-2017. “Absolutely ecstatic,” was Strait’s reaction. “This is such a tremendous honor. I feel so blessed. I feel energized. I feel great. It’s a just a wonderful recognition.”
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Theresa Alban visited Brunswick Middle School on Monday to make the announcement. Strait says his students applauded. “They brought me into the cafeteria. They had just started lunch. Their reaction was absolutely priceless. They worked so hard to keep it a secret, but they were just very celebratory. They were so happy for me. It was just wonderful,” he said.
“We had 83 outstanding Teacher of the Year nominees,” says Dr. Alban. “After reading through Mr. Strait’s nomination packet, I knew the selection committee had made the right choice.”
Strait joined Frederick County Public Schools in 2001 after completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education, social studies, that year at the University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown, Pa. He earned his Master of Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 2005 from Hood College, graduating with a 4.0 grade point average, according to the school system.
Strait says he tries to teach history by making it relevant. “Once they see that history is about people, and that some of the problems that people faced in the past are similar to problems maybe that they’re facing, or maybe that their parents are facing or some of their relatives are facing, once you do that, and they understand that history is about people, then you have them hooked,” he says.
With this honor, Strait is now eligible for the Maryland Teacher of the Year Award. He will join 23 other teachers from other school systems in the state who will be honored for their work during a sate-wide gala on October 7th at Martins’ West in Baltimore. Out of those 24 teachers, one will be chosen Maryland Teacher of the Year. That person will eligible for National Teacher of the Year.
“Being recognized here within in Frederick County, and being the Frederick County Teacher of the Year, I feel like I’m getting close to a pinnacle of my career or at least my career up to this point,” he says. “I’m going to let the cards fall where they may. I’m absolutely thrilled to represent Frederick County Public Schools in this way.”
In addition to the honor of being named Teacher of the Year for 2016-2017, Strait will also get the use of an Audi on a six-month lease from Audi Frederick.