Dreher High teacher recognized for excellence in science teaching

Randolph M. Brooks, who teaches physics, chemistry, astronomy and engineering at Dreher High School, has been named as recipient of the distinguished 2004 South Carolina Academy of Science’s Teacher of the Year Award for Excellence in Secondary Science or Mathematics Teaching.

Brooks is being honored for more than 10 years of inspiring excellent performances from his students and for creating a superlative environment for learning. He also is being recognized for the extraordinary efforts he puts forth outside of the classroom on behalf of his students and for the benefit of the community.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and MIT, Brooks retired from the Navy as the director of submarine engineering and design. He began his teaching career in Richland One as a math and science teacher at W.J Keenan High School in 1995. He joined the faculty at Dreher High in 1997.

The first National-Board-certified high school teacher in the district, Brooks was Richland One’s Teacher of the Year in 2002-03 and was honored as a finalist for S.C. Teacher of the Year 2003-04. He also has been named as Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year, Radio Shack/Tandy Teacher of the Year for Excellence in Science and Mathematics and S.C. finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics.

In his spare time, Brooks sings in two performance choirs at Shandon United Methodist Church and assists his wife with a senior citizens choir. He teaches the Bible to several groups, including two classes at Shandon and to college-age students (primarily international students) at the USC Baptist Student Union and in the summer to college-age students at Shandon

The award will be presented April 16 at the South Carolina Academy of Science’s annual meeting in Charleston.