Teachers, students and staff at the Harmony School of Innovation in Brownsville surprised technology teacher Gungor Sahin with news Tuesday morning that he had been chosen High School Teacher of the Year for Harmony Public Schools’ San Antonio District.
Following an impromptu celebration in his classroom, Sahin said he knew the school had submitted his application for consideration at the district level but said he was nonetheless surprised to learn he had been chosen for the honor.
Brownsville campus administrators said Sahin’s leadership, drive and strong work ethic made him a strong candidate for teacher of the year honors, a designation he has won before during his 14 years as an educator. Sahin is entering his third year heading up instruction in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math at Harmony Brownsville. He also serves as a professional learning community leader, previously was an assistant principal and takes great joy in helping other teachers become stronger leaders, colleagues said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sahin kept his students involved in the community by helping them use the school’s 3-D printers to produce 500 face shields for Brownsville area first responders. Before the pandemic arrived he led the Harmony team as it designed, built and raced an electric car in competition at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
This year, Harmony’s rocketry club is participating in activities despite limitations imposed by the pandemic, with rockets assembled by the students reaching heights of 800 feet. Along a similar line, the school is planning to add maker space for students to experience hands-on learning.
Sahin has 77 students in his classes, teaching high school physics and leading Project Lead the Way instruction for middle school students. He teaches a course titled “Computer Science for Innovators,” sending home kits to middle school students participating in distance learning via the internet.
A certified teacher, Sahin earned a bachelor’s degree in physics, a master’s in computer science and is pursuing a master’s in educational leadership.
Harmony operates two campuses in Brownsville, Harmony Science Academy for pre-k through eighth-grade students on Central Boulevard, and the Harmony School of Innovation for middle and high school students, at 3451 Dana Ave., which opened in 2017 and where enrollment is 540 students.
The school said it hopes to move to fully face-to-face instruction for the 2021-2022 school year.
