Stevenson School of Education Alumnus Wins Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics Beginning Teacher Award
Stevenson University alumnus Zac Stavish ’13 was named a 2015 Outstanding Educator by the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics in the Beginning Teacher Category. Stavish, who graduated from Stevenson with a degree in Middle School Education, teaches sixth grade mathematics at Patuxent Valley Middle School in Howard County.
This marks the second consecutive year that a Stevenson alumnus has won the Beginning Teacher Award after Jorden (Haney) Lim ’12 earned the honor in 2014. Maryland math teachers who are in either their first or second year are eligible for the award.
“I am amazed at the impact Zac has had on his students, colleagues, and community in such a short period of time,” said Jon Wray, Stavish’s Instructional Facilitator within Howard County Public Schools. “His efforts to build a community of learners by making all students feel welcome and part of the classroom community are evident in the way he interacts with his students.”
Stavish’s approach has resonated within Patuxent Valley Middle so much so that students from other classes have been observed lingering outside his classroom just to watch his innovative lessons while others have repeatedly asked for lunch passes to visit his room in order to spend more time with him.
He praised the faculty at Stevenson for setting the bar high and for maintaining a relationship with him post-graduation.
“I was held to high expectations at Stevenson, and that has pushed me to take risks in and out of the classroom,” Stavish said. “The best part is that the guidance has continued. I’ve been fortunate enough to stay in contact with several professors who still encourage, mentor, and challenge me to grow as a learner and as a teacher.”
Learn more about Stevenson’s School of Education.
Stevenson University, known for its distinctive career focus, is the third-largest independent university in Maryland with more than 4,400 students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, and adult bachelor’s programs at locations in Stevenson and Owings Mills.