Colony High’s Brian Mead wins 2018 BP Teachers of Excellence Award

WASILLA — Colony High School English teacher, Brian Mead was recognized as the Mat-Su Valley winner of the 2018 BP Teachers of Excellence Awards on Thursday, May 3.

“I did not expect this,” Mead said, as he held the handmade trophy.

The Settler’s Bay Lodge banquet room filled up with over 100 people to honor a handful of teachers across the Valley.

“You’ve changed their child’s life,” said Mat-Su Borough School District (MSBSD) Superintendent Dr. Monica Goyette, recounting a recent anecdote shared by a parent.

Each year, BP selects a handful of K-12 teachers for each school district across the state, including public and private schools and honors them with a dinner and award ceremony, picking the winner of each district. Since the program started in 1995, BP has recognized a total of 750 teachers. Each winner receives a $500 gift card with a $500 matching grant for their school. This year, winners also get paid tuition for BP’s Rock and Roll environmental class and a paid trip to tour their facility on the North Slope.

This year’s MSBSD winners include Kristy Hales from Larson Elementary School, Robert McLain Jr. from Butte Elementary School, Michael Danz from Birchtree Charter School, Mead, and Valerie Rozzi from Sherrod Elementary School. Also, BP recognized Tina Audap from Knik Elementary School as the Valley’s “Educational Ally.”

Charlos Ward, BP Project General Manager and Goyette shared the mic to emcee the award ceremony. As the ceremony started up, Ward asked all of the former winners in the audience to stand up. Several teachers stoop up with energetic applause following. The room was filled with teachers, school faculty, students, parents, friends and family members, forming a “mosaic” of the community.

“We are a mosaic,” Rozzi said. “The pieces that we take from everyone that we’ve ever known help us grow into who we are today.”

Each teacher in the district was nominated to win the top teacher of the district. Ward and Goyette introduced each candidate, gave a quick biography and explained how they went “above and beyond” in and out of the classroom.

Miss Alaska, Angelina Klapperich, attended the ceremony. She made her rounds through the banquet hall, smiling and warmly talking to nearly everyone there. As each nominated teacher’s overview was wrapping up, Klapperich spouted, “Speech! Speech!” The teachers grabbed the mic and made an impromptu speech. Every teacher thanked the people who helped them get where they were, emphasizing a common theme of “team work.”

As Ward went through McLain’s eclectic background and teaching philosophy, she used a direct quote from the Butte Elementary Teacher: “When children are valued, their only limit is their imagination.”

When McLain grabbed the mic for his improvisational speech, he looked back at the important people in his life, particularly those who’ve passed on. He thought of his well-spoken father.

“Every time I get on the mic, I think of my dad,” McLain said. “It’s been a great, great journey.”

As Ward concluded Mead’s nominee overview, Klapperich belted, “Speech! Speech! I was in your public speaking class. You HAVE to!”

The audience roared with laughter.

“She’s got you there!” someone in the crowd jibed.

Mead’s educational journey didn’t stop at your standard English class. Like his friendly competition, he has a rap sheet of philanthropic endeavors and accomplishments worthy of note. He was a founding member of Radio Free Palmer and has served on other community boards, including the Valley Performing Arts center. Mead founded the CHS Digital Media/Broadcast Journalism program and the robotics and computer science programs. Ward said that Mead was “dedicated to the community that raised him.”

“Brian knows that school is more than just taking classes. It’s a time to grow, explore, and make memories that last a lifetime,” Ward said.

Mead invested countless hours in and out of the classroom to not only help his students with their curriculum, but also made it his mission to implore as many “real world” applications and skills onto his students as possible. Each year, he works as the Alaska State Fair’s official videographer, frequently including his students to teach them a range of skills along the way.

“Everyone should have a teacher who changed their life. Everyone should have a: Mr. Mead,” Ward said, quoting an actual parent comment.

Mead ambled over to the microphone and laughed with the room for a moment. He thanked everyone — his family, his fellow staff members, the students, the parents, and surrounding pieces of the Valley puzzle. He jumped off the “it takes a village to raise a child” analogy.

“It really takes a community. I think that we are all in this together,” Mead said.

He said that he started the journalism, computer science, and robotics programs because he was “selfish” and he liked those topics.

“I also did it…” Mead’s face got crinkled and he choked back tears. “I also did for the children.”

“Aww…” the crowd bellowed.

Mead noted that he moved on to more digital programs because that is where society is headed. He thought of his offspring and the next generation. That’s why he’s been transitioning from theater to computers.

“Our world is changing,” Ward said.