Stanley Teacher Awarded NDCEC General Education Teacher Of The Year
By Erika Littlefield
On Friday, Feb. 27, Nicholas Peterson learned he had been awarded the NDCEC General Education Teacher of the Year Award. Students and staff surprised him with the announcement during the FFA Ag Olympics.
“This award means a lot to me,” Peterson said. “It shows me that everything I have done throughout the years has been worth it and that I have been doing good teaching my students. All the work, hours, and crazy stuff I have done have made it worth it.”
Peterson teaches Freshman Science, Chemistry, and Forensic Science at Stanley High School. Some of his past students wrote letters for him, sharing the fun experiences they had in his classroom. Many mentioned his themed labs as some of their favorite memories. Over the years, he has organized a variety of unique labs, including the Airplane Lab, dissecting piglets to complete a mock autopsy report, and the Harry Potter Lab, where students turn bronze pennies into “gold.” Students also talked about his humorous quotes and running jokes, such as his Kesha remarks, “#scienceswag,” and “Well I nevvvah.” He is remembered as a funny, caring, and dedicated teacher who is loved by his students. Many said they learned valuable skills from Peterson, including critical thinking, not taking things too seriously, laughing things off, and realizing that they are smarter than they think.
When asked if he had always wanted to be a teacher, Peterson said no. “I actually wanted to go into science or the medical field, but I got the opportunity to work with high school youth and thought, ‘I want to do this every day.’ I also had this great love for science, so I put the two together and became a science teacher.”
Peterson never expected to stay in Stanley. It was originally supposed to be a two-year stop, but he fell in love with the Stanley community and its close-knit atmosphere. He appreciated being able to get to know his students personally and interact with them throughout their entire time at Stanley High School. “When I did the tour, I loved how nostalgic it was and instantly fell in love,” he said.
Peterson credits many people along the way, especially the Stanley staff, for supporting him throughout his journey. He also says the biggest thank you goes to his past and present students, because none of this would have been possible without them.
He shared that his biggest mentor was his student teaching advisor, a teacher he models much of his teaching after. He admired how her students loved being in her class and enjoyed learning simply because it was fun.
Peterson believes the biggest thing that sets great educators apart is passion. Teachers who genuinely love their subjects and teach with enthusiasm make students excited to learn. He said the greatest educators create classrooms where students enjoy coming to class and listening to them.
His one piece of advice for students is simple: “Don’t be afraid to be weird. Weird should be celebrated. Weird is a good thing - just be you.”
Peterson will receive his award at the NDCEC Conference in Bismarck on March 27.