With June comes the ending (and beginning) of many things. The end of an often-times-tumultuous school year, the beginning of “summer” in SF, as well as the summer solstice. During a year when many things have been uncertain, 826 has always known that we could count on teachers to navigate their students through even the roughest of waters. This is why we are especially thrilled to announce that Demetric Strong of Everett Middle School is one of our June Teachers of the Month!
Mr. Strong is everywhere at Everett Middle School. One can find him teaching, coaching wrestling, and being an essential part of EMS’ culture team. He has found fans among not only his students, but his colleagues as well. One of his co teachers says, “He is one of the few teachers I know who can coach multiple teams, facilitate student-centered clubs, attend all concerts, lead a department, and make it look completely effortless. Demetric is extraordinarily dependable and prioritizes the wellbeing of his colleagues.”
As an educator, Mr. Strong has shown his students what it means to work towards a goal and achieve it. An example of this is when Mr. Strong created fitness goals for his students, which allowed them to feel both empowered and in control of their fitness journeys. By doing this, Mr. Strong “did not lower his expectations for students. Instead, he held them accountable and taught them a growth mindset around fitness and health.”
Aside from being a phenomenal educator, Mr. Strong is also a youth outreach coordinator. While working in this role, he facilitated a partnership with Girls Ignite Program, which encourages young girls of color to enter tech industries. His dedication to his students is admirable, and as one colleague noted, “Every student knows who he is and wants to learn from him because he makes every child feel like they are the most important student in his life.”
We know that Mr. Strong has made an impression on colleagues and students alike, with one student commenting, “He makes people feel really calm and motivated to come to class. What makes him stand out from other teachers is his involvement in our lives and helping us understand things. He makes the classroom a comfortable safe space to talk and share ideas.”
Thank you for all that you do Mr. Strong. We are so excited to name you as one of our June Teachers of the Month!
We warmly thank our friends at KKR for making our Teacher of the Month Program possible this year with a KKR COVID Response Fund. Learn more at KKR.com/grants.
Read about more teachers of the month here.