Ross Webster Honored With Two Teacher of the Year Awards

Ross Webster graduated with a BS (1992) and an MA (2003) in Secondary Education. Now a history teacher at Blake High School in Tampa, FL, Webster is making his mark in history, or rather, with history. Webster has been awarded two Teacher of the Year titles for 2005. Colleagues at Blake High recently honored Webster as Teacher of the Year at Blake, and the Florida Council of Vietnam Veterans of America also named Webster as their Teacher of the Year recipient.

Webster’s honor from the Veterans council is in recognition of his unique course taught on the Vietnam War, which he began teaching five years ago. Webster decided to teach the course through an inspiration gained at a teacher workshop on the idea. Throughout the semester Webster incorporates Vet visits, required readings, and various other elements to keep the students’ interest. According to Webster, bringing in veterans makes the war real for his students, “Once a kid makes a connection with a veteran, that gives them a more human aspect.”

Blake is only one of 12 schools across the county to offer the Vietnam course, which first began in 1998 at Bloomingdale High School. Ross Webster is now involved in educating other teachers on the Vietnam course. He is involved in creating an interactive CD introducing the course, and he is now participating in workshops to train and inspire new teachers for the course. Though not a veteran himself, Webster feels honored to be able to teach this course about this point of time in our history, he says, “It’s kind of an honor to teach about the war and continue their legacy.”