TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Academics is a huge part of Mr. Chris Yetman's job as not only a math teacher at Canyon Del Oro High School but also as academic team's coach. He has been coaching the team for 21 years. Becoming a teacher wasn't his dream job, but says a college professor inspired him. Yetman says, "I discovered when I was in college that I did have a knack for explaining things to people that they seem to think made sense.”
So he pursued teaching. Like many jobs, things became tough during the pandemic. "Teachers are working harder than they ever have been trying to make things work," says Yetman. He addressed the differences felt when kids had to switch to virtual learning.
Yetman says, "to not only teach them what they are supposed to learn this year but also try to help them to learn things that they didn’t learn in the past couple of years is a very big challenge.”
But he says with his passion, it's a task he can handle. It's qualities like that that have led to Mr. Yetman being nominated for this award not once, but twice. He says, "this is my second time. It was very big honor because there are so many great teachers.”
While it wasn't his life long dream to become a teacher, he's never regretted the decision to pursue it. Yetman says, “I’ve devoted 34 years of my life to it, that a strong education system is absolutely important for the future of this country.”
So along with eight other finalists, Yetman will find out if he wins the award on March 5th.
