By CONNIE NOLEN / Community Columnist

Pelham High School’s Teacher of the Year is senior English teacher Ryan Dye.

A graduate of PHS, Dye is an inspired teacher who truly loves literature and has a special penchant for poetry. Dye sponsors the PHS Environmental Club, which coordinates and oversees the school’s commitment to recycling.

He has been instrumental in offering Habitat for Humanity experiences for students. Dye also runs the organization “Teach a Man to Fish,” which offers students summer travel opportunities in Yellowstone National Park.

Dye’s students were thrilled to see him named as Teacher of the Year. They consistently remarked that this gifted teacher makes information relevant for them. In addition to studying the structure of sonnets, Dye coaches his students in creating sonnets.

“He is an absolutely outstanding teacher. He gives fun, interactive assignments that help you really understand the material and relate to it,” said PHS senior Kris Haberstroh.

“He had us write essays about our future goals and how we were going to achieve those goals. That assignment really gave me perspective. Mr. Dye cares about our future plans and he genuinely wants us to succeed,” said PHS senior Mary Sullivan Benton.

Always glad to be on the same team with Ryan Dye, I appreciate the work he doesn’t realize he’s doing —serving as a role model. Dye’s daily commitment to learning, kindness, professionalism, respect, service and humility inspire the same behaviors in his students and coworkers. Dye’s own remarks reveal his character.

“I would like to say thanks to all the colleagues that help me day in and day out, teachers in my department and teachers on my hallway, and especially the teachers and aides of the special ed and ESL departments, with whom I’ve worked closely for over 10 years. We do this together,” said Dye in response to winning the award.

“Ryan Dye is a teacher that leads by example and humor. He is a straightforward teacher that holds his students to a high standard; but he always tries to allow them to laugh and be themselves,” said PHS Theatre Teacher Jamie Stephenson.