High school civics, African American Studies teacher named Wake’s Teacher of the Year
A Garner High School teacher who spent 25 years as a U.S. Air Force medic has been named Wake County’s top educator.
Terry Hennings, a Civic Literacy and African American Studies teacher at Garner High, was named the 2023 Wake County Teacher of the Year at a ceremony Thursday night at the Raleigh Convention Center. Teaching is the second career for the Air Force veteran.
“During my K through 12 experience back in Tennessee, I did not have very many male teachers or African American male teachers,” Hennings said during his acceptance speech. “But to this day, I still remember the impact that each and every one of those individuals had on my life. So when I retired from the Air Force, I wanted to try and have that same exact impact.”
After leaving the military, Hennings attended graduate school at N.C. State University and earned a master’s of arts teaching degree concentrating in social studies. He taught World History at a high school in Las Vegas before joining Garner High in 2017.
‘Build strong children’
In addition to his teaching duties, Hennings is Garner High’s Black Student Union Club advisor and serves on Wake County Superintendent Catty Moore’s Teacher Advisory Council. He also has served on the school’s Equity Team and as a Civic Literacy Professional Learning Community Leader.
Hennings taught through the pandemic, which he said highlighted the importance of students’ social-emotional needs. Part of his mission has been to hep strengthen the confidence and communication skills of his students.
But also during his acceptance speech, Hennings talked about how teachers have come under fire. He encouraged educators to follow the advice of abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass about building strong children.
“During the pandemic, it seemed as if everyone acknowledged the importance of educators and the role we played,” Hennings told the audience of fellow educators. “But now for some reason, maybe it seems like the pendulum is kind of swinging the opposite direction.
“But to my fellow educators here tonight, just know that my goal is to be your voice. So let us continue to build strong children so society does not have to repair broken adults.”
School celebration
On Friday morning, teachers, students and administrators greeted Hennings near the lobby of the high school.
Hennings got a rousing round of applause as he entered and he went around and high-fived people before getting the keys to a Chevrolet Tahoe that Capital Chevrolet gave to him to use for the next year.
The windows of the SUV were adorned with Garner High car flags.
Hennings was chosen among the Teacher of the Year winners for each individual school. The list was whittled to 10 finalists.
“There are so many outstanding teachers in Wake County and for me to selected as Teacher of the Year is beyond my wildest dreams,” Hennings said Friday.
In addition to the car, Hennings will receive a prize package that includes a $1,000 check. He will represent Wake County in the North Carolina Teacher of the Year program.
Staff photographer Ethan Hyman contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 8:39 PM.
