Luke Casey, a new history teacher at Wakefield High School, earned the Beginning Teacher of the Year Award for the 2025-2026 school year. This award is for any first-year teacher who has shown excellence and professionalism, recognizing teachers bringing joy to their students each and every day. Standing out among the rest, Casey has shown determination, pushing past obstacles to give the best education to his students.
Many teachers have a hard time adjusting during their first year of teaching, but the important part is that they learn to overcome these adversities. Just like anyone who has to overcome challenges, Casey had to juggle a professional schedule while having to deal with extracurriculars: coaching Junior Varsity men’s soccer and teaching history. He reflects on the difficulties found within his first semester of teaching.
“I think the biggest challenge was having nothing ready for the classes I was about to be teaching and trying to build everything while getting home at 9 p.m.,” Casey said. “That was a challenge, but I have now become so efficient because of how little time I had that I now feel like I’m living in paradise.”
Not only has he gained some relief from getting through the first semester, but Casey has also been receiving encouragement and aid from his colleagues. Peyton Thomas, a fellow history teacher and Casey’s mentor, talks about what it was like mentoring the young winner.
“He’s definitely been the most successful out of my [beginning teachers] that I’ve had,” Thomas said. “He’s doing a very good job, and I’m definitely proud of him for that.”
None of this would be possible, however, without the support of his students, especially the ones who talk so highly of him. These students learn from him every day, experiencing what it’s like to learn from a strong teacher like him. Liv Micheelsen, a freshman and past student of Casey’s, reflects on how well he did as a teacher.
“[I’ve learned] way more about World History, definitely,” Micheelsen said. “He’s probably taught me the most about it.”
This teacher has blown past expectations, not only teaching these kids but growing bonds with them as well, making them feel like they can have fun and learn something simultaneously. Paola Quinones-Olmeda, another past freshman student of Casey’s, talks about the class experience.
“He made concepts really easy to understand; it made me appreciate and like that class so much more,” Quinones-Olmeda said. “And he allowed us to work with other people and interact a lot, which just made the class feel less stressful.”
With the second semester now in full swing, Casey has taken the confidence from semester one and pushed towards his goal of growing as a teacher. Some would see this semester as a fresh start, but he still has a goal to educate and provide assistance to every student who walks into his classroom. This award recognizes him for being an extraordinary teacher throughout his first semester, as well as being able to show immense resilience under pressure.
“It feels good [to win this award] because I’ve done at least something to be recognized,” Casey said. “That’s what a teacher wants, to feel like they’ve done something meaningful.”
