BY TRACY LEE TATE
Times Staff Writer
A person never really knows where life is going to take them, despite dreams, intentions and preparation, and sometimes they end up in a place where they can do all the things they desired all along but in a setting not at all like their original vision.
This is true for the Union County High School Teacher of the Year, who has also been named Union County School District Teacher of the Year — Shawn Andrews.
Andrews is a lifelong Union County native, graduating Union County High School in 2007. He left for a time after graduation to attend the Baptist College of Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Christian studies. He then attended Southern Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister and served as a youth minister at Bethel Baptist in Alabama for two years, but then returned to Union County after that assignment.
Back home, he began substitute teaching in the school district in October 2015. After a time, he was offered a long-term substitute position in the math department by then UCHS Principal Mike Ripplinger (who had been Andrews government teacher when he was a student). He took the position and, after about a month (in February 2016), he was offered the position on a permanent basis.
“I really enjoyed the people I was working with and the whole math department,” Andrews said. “I especially enjoyed working with the young people in a different capacity (than as a youth pastor). I have always had a passion for helping kids be more.”
He started out teaching a few different math classes, but soon ended up teaching geometry exclusively in 2018 and since has been teaching six classes a day in the subject. It is a good fit for both him and his students as the UCHS geometry program has scored fifth in the state (excluding university-based schools) for the past two years.
Andrews married his high school sweetheart, Cindy, and the couple has three children. He said he is an avid reader, reading science fiction, mysteries, theology and books about sports. He has recently learned to crochet to relax and loves to make stuffed animals, including Pokémon characters, for young people. Although he never played a sport in school, he served as the Upwards Basketball Coach at his church, Hopeful Baptist Church in Lake City. At home he enjoys watching the Jacksonville Jaguars and the University of Florida play. Most of all, he says he enjoys the time he can spend with his family.
At UCHS, Andrews serves as a sophomore sponsor, a tally for the Miss UCHS contest, a helper for the homecoming celebration, chairman of the math department and offers afterschool tutoring to any students who need a little extra assistance.
Andrews admits that he struggled with math as a student and really did not like it but came to the subject again as an adult and found it more enjoyable. When he began subbing, he realized he needed to refresh his knowledge and used the Kahn Academy on the Internet to re-teach himself the subject after so many years. He credits current UCHS Assistant Principal Zeke Scaff as his “geometry guru.”
About his being named Teacher of the Year for the school district, Andrews said he was very happy for two reasons.
“It is really exciting to be named, but also humbling when I think that I was selected by my peers, who all know what a teacher has to go through to do their job, to represent them,” Andrews said. “But I am also excited that I get to represent math, a subject that is considered hard to make engaging to students, and now the subject if finally getting recognized.”
To make sure he engages his students, Andrews uses several teaching techniques. Some days he lectures and demonstrates solving problems on the board as is traditionally done in math classes. Other days the class works singly or in groups on projects illustrating what they are learning and offering examples.
“I plan to continue as a teacher for a long time,” Andrews said. “I enjoy what I do and feel like I am fulfilling my purpose. I feel that whatever I do, so long as it is a good thing, is for God’s glory and I think that helping young people achieve and succeed is a good thing.”
