Jonathan Leohr, who teaches engineering and computer science to grades 9-12 at Apollo High School, has been named a 2021 McDonald’s Teach It Forward Outstanding Educator.
Students, parents, colleagues and members of the community were invited to submit nominations of teachers who have made a positive difference in the lives of their students.
“This came as a great surprise for me,” said Leohr, who does not know who nominated him for this award. “I really love what I do and I hope that every day I can encourage or inspire as many students as possible. To be nominated by parents and students as well as colleagues and members of the community reaches beyond those I thought I was influencing, and I am humbled and honored they would nominate me.”
Leohr said that this is a challenging time to teach and there are many teachers deserving of accolades such as this.
“I know for sure there are many at Apollo High School that go above and beyond the call of duty,” he said. “There are many teachers who love our students just as much as I do, and want nothing more than to see them succeed.”
Leohr shared the following thoughts as words of encouragement for others in the field of education as they work with students:
“Never forget why you got into teaching in the first place,” Leohr said. “I remember that I graduated college thinking I wanted to work in the industry as a programmer, developing amazing products — but soon realized that my work felt meaningless. I went back to school to become a teacher because I saw an opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of my students. I saw an opportunity to inspire students to become more than they thought possible, to challenge the stigmas that have been placed on them throughout their lives, and to push those who thought they had already reached the top of what they could achieve. When you see and do that too, those students whose lives you’ve impacted will continue to come back to thank you, sometimes 15 years later, and that is when you will realize that what you are doing today matters and makes a difference.”
Earlier this year, Leohr was also recognized as the DCPS 2021 High School “Kids First” Teacher of the Year.
