Ryan Patterson, a historical past trainer at Destin Center College, is making his mark on his college’s historical past.
Patterson, 36, was just lately chosen as trainer of the 12 months by his friends.
“I used to be very shocked. However essentially the most stunning factor for me was that I used to be the one identify on the poll,” Patterson stated.
“It is onerous work… they’re all lecturers of the 12 months,” he stated of his fellow lecturers.
Destin Center College principal Belinda Small stated Patterson was a “big asset” to the varsity.
“Ryan is deeply dedicated to scholar training in each sense of the phrase. He’s passionate concerning the well-being of scholars as younger folks and serving to them develop into distinctive residents,” stated Small.
Patterson, who describes himself as a navy brat, is in his fourth 12 months at Destin Center. He got here to the Okaloosa County college system from Florosa Elementary, Bruner Center College and graduated from Fort Walton Seashore Excessive in 2005.
After highschool, he performed school baseball at Florida State School in Jacksonville, however was benched by accidents.
“I had seven surgical procedures in my first three years there,” he stated, noting that 4 have been knee surgical procedures.
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He grew to become a coach whereas recovering, then acquired a name to return to play. He accomplished his remaining two years of enjoying at Shorter College in Georgia. Whereas at Shorter, he underwent three extra surgical procedures, bringing the overall to 10 over his school profession.
“However I used these experiences to show my children how you can overcome adversity,” Patterson stated.
Initially, Patterson’s purpose was to play skilled baseball and if that did not work out, he would go into the navy.
After school, he started coaching to hitch the navy when he ruptured a disc in his backbone. And whereas ready for surgical procedure, he was employed as a junior varsity baseball coach at Fort Walton Seashore Excessive in 2014.
“Whereas I used to be doing that, I changed and fell in love with instructing,” Patterson stated.
Rocky Street in Destin Center
From 2014 to 2019, when he was employed at Destin Center, Patterson was “everywhere in the district,” he stated.
He was employed as a full-time sub at Bruner for 2 months.
Then he obtained a name from Shorter College to come back assist construct an intramural/health/recreation program. Patterson answered the decision, however then missed his Gulf Coast roots.
“I’m a surfer. I miss the seaside and I miss this life,” he stated.
In 2015 he returned and landed a job with Shoal River Center in Crestview.
“Whereas I used to be there I had one other surgical procedure,” Patterson stated.
He underwent one other surgical procedure because of skateboarding.
In 2017, whereas at Shoal River, a battle broke out and he stepped in to assist and ended up fracturing his head in 5 locations. He was out of college for 5 months after which returned strolling with a cane for a 12 months.
“It is all for the children”
In 2019 Patterson was employed by Grant Meyer to show social research at Destin Center. As well as, he underwent one other knee operation.
“I had 19 surgical procedures in whole,” Patterson stated.
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“These surgical procedures have been such a blessing. It wasn’t once I was going by way of them, however so I may speak to these children about it. I had 19 surgical procedures and it taught me so much about myself. So I can train them so much about overcoming adversity,” he stated.
“It simply hooks them up. ‘He is been there, so I can get by way of it,'” Patterson stated.
Whereas present process again surgical procedure, he needed to concentrate on one thing, so he earned his grasp’s diploma on the College of West Florida. He’s presently making ready a doctorate in psychology.
What attracted Patterson to instructing?
“I simply wish to have a optimistic impression on the lives of those kids. I wish to present them that they will obtain much more there,” he stated.
“Typically we get caught up in ‘college is simply these partitions’, however I wish to present them that college is the world. Like you are going to study a lot extra in life than I can provide you. study from it right here,” he stated.
Patterson did the “Teddy Bear Challenge” with the scholars, the place they accumulate teddy bears to donate to pediatric most cancers sufferers. Since 2015, together with his time at Shoal River, his college students have donated 5,000 teddy bears.
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At Destin Center, Patterson teaches United States historical past in eighth grade and aspiring leaders in fifth grade, which he calls “advantage 101.” On this class, he teaches how you can be good buddies and classmates, how you can plan and execute a challenge, and how you can work in a crew.
“I train all of the fifth graders,” he stated, about 200 all year long.
He additionally teaches seventh and eighth grade management programs. These college students spearheaded the varsity’s 911 challenge along with serving as trainer’s aides, fundraisers and extra.
“Final 12 months they raised cash and acquired garments for the children at Christmas. They give you concepts and I simply inform them how you can do it,” he stated.
The one factor he most enjoys instructing college students is life.
“There is not a topic I train within the story that I do not hook up with their lives,” he stated.
“If I am instructing a topic of historical past that I am unable to inform them straight, ‘You are studying this as a result of it is going to provide help to in life’…they will not wish to study it,” he stated. . .
“Educate them to use the teachings of the classroom of their each day lives. It is my favourite factor,” Patterson stated.
And he had the consideration of being named trainer of the 12 months.
“I used to be humble. The scores present that we’re the very best school within the district, so being the trainer of the 12 months is an honor.
“However that is it for the children,” he stated.
“Every thing I do is for the advantage of the kids and the neighborhood. I think about training as a public service. We serve our neighborhood not solely by giving our college students information, however by being good folks and good residents. What better duty than that.
“And I would not be the trainer I’m if I did not have such good college students. They make it enjoyable. It is all about them, and I would not be the trainer I’m with out them,” stated he declared.
