Becoming Educator of the Year means the teacher knows the student, it means the teacher helps the student to see what they can’t in themselves and offers guidance to become the best person that one can be. Teachers can make a difference in the very lives of the students that they teach and the community that they serve. Becoming Educator of the Year or even being nominated means that the teacher models good character and has compassion and that is why I have nominated Gunny Sergeant Lemke.


When I first received my class schedule for the school year, I noticed that I had Gunny Sergeant Lemke for Fifth block Naval Science. When I saw this, I was thinking to myself “great I get to listen to a loud, obnoxious, meathead marine talk for the last 75 minutes of school everyday.” I soon found out that I was wrong about him. He soon became one of my favorite teachers at The Delaware Military Academy.


Fifth block is now my favorite classes of the day. I am being taught about something I enjoy the military. Gunny was a Drill Sergeant in the Marines, I guess that’s why he’s so loud from yelling at Marines; during Basic Training in the Marine Corp. We’ve learned many things about the military from his class. I’ve always wanted to join the military and serve my country, but he has now given me much more of an insight as to what to expect and what not to expect.


One of the main things about the military we’ve learned from him is, it’s not all about physical strength it’s about mental strength. The way he teaches plays a very important role in learning. You can’t just sit up there and read the material to us; you have to be able to use your experiences to teach this subject with the excitement that he has. The reason I like his class so much is because he can relate to us; he knows how to have fun in class by messing with everyone, but he still keeps it real, and he is also very funny.


There is more to just teaching us the mandated material for school. He doesn’t just make us smart in this subject; he makes us better people by setting an example with his leadership and citizenship. I often now find myself addressing people now by sir or ma’am and being just an all around better person.


I think he is one of the best teachers I have ever encountered. I definitely believe he deserves the award for Educator of the Year. I can’t think of any better teacher to deserve this honor. I look up to him and hope that one day I can make him proud of me with my future accomplishments.