Meet Seabreeze High School's Teacher of the Year

Ormond Beach Observer
Neighbors

Ray Grimard loves seeing his past students come back to speak to his class in uniform. Having served in the U.S Navy, he said he's a strong advocate for students joining the armed forces after graduation.

"As a veteran, it is a very proud moment," Grimard said.

He's been teaching for 26 years now, though looking back to his own high school years in New Hampshire, Grimard said it hadn't been a career option he considered at the time. He didn't like school, he said, and he wasn't "the best student."

"Truth be told I wanted to be an attorney, but after volunteering in the law library in the New Hampshire prison system and seeing the result of young men who grew into their twenties (many doing long stretches of time) I thought that maybe working in the 'preventative' side instead of being an advocate on the 'corrective' side of the equation might be a better path," Grimard said. "Plus teachers had summers off. So teaching became the path."

Grimard, who teaches high school construction technology, graduated from Anselm College in New Hampshire with a bachelor's degree in history, and later obtained a master's degree in military history from Norwich University in Vermont. He said he's humbled and honored to be recognized as Seabreeze's Teacher of the Year, but that the recognition makes him uncomfortable. He's never been one for the spotlight.

If he could share one piece of wisdom with students, it would be to learn everything you can.

"Learn the basics," Grimard said. "Memorize mathematic time tables and units of measurement, read as much as you can, work with your hands as well as with your head, know history, understand how the government works..."

Also, put your phones away.