THOMASVILLE — Jeremy G. Rich was named Bishop Hall Charter School’s Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024. For 16 years, Rich has brought history, government and economics to life with practical and hands-on learning experiences that transcend the physical classroom. Beyond the classroom, Rich is a pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church and the District One commissioner for the Thomas County Board of Commissioners.

“I was honored and humbled to represent Bishop Hall Charter School as Teacher of the Year,” Rich said. “This is my second time being granted this honor, and I hope that I will continue to be a source of inspiration to our students and the faculty of Bishop Hall Charter School.”

Rich strives to engage students of all backgrounds and abilities in learning.

“One of my goals when teaching a lesson is to transport history to the present,” Rich stated. “I strive to engage the students’ prior knowledge to transform the learning from individual to communal. Each task in a lesson is designed to assist the student in the mastery of the content, yet the journey toward actualization continues as the students begin to visualize where they would like to travel, whether to a place or a period of history they would like to experience.”

As a commissioner for Thomas County, Rich serves alongside County Manager Michael Stephenson. Stephenson praised Rich for his contributions.

“Rev. Rich brings a valuable point of view to the day-to-day workings of Thomas County government, as an educator and a member of the clergy,” Stephenson said. “He is always patient and interested in citizens’ concerns and issues.”

Rich makes a lasting impact on his students, and he is encouraged by the fact that so many of them return to visit him long after they graduate. Quinn Weakland, Bishop Hall tenth grader, said that Rich is one of the finest educators that Thomas County has to offer.

“Mr. Rich teaches a variety of subjects and supports equality for all,” Weakland said. “Within the classroom, he shines to his true potential by demonstrating a vast knowledge of all the subjects he is teaching. He approaches serious topics with empathy and respect, making everyone in the classroom feel heard and equal.”

As a historian, public servant and educator, Rich said he is most excited to see students push beyond the lesson and apply the historical to the contemporary or even better, the future.

Rich said, “I am grateful to have the opportunity to share with students the impact historical figures have made on shaping the world as we know it. There is no replacement for learning from the past to prevent future mistakes.”

One of Rich’s favorite quotes is from Dr. John Henrick Clarke. He said, “History is not everything, but it is a starting point. History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. It is a compass they use to find themselves on the map of human geography.”

Rich expressed his concern about the lack of appreciation of many citizens, particularly regarding the role and function of governments at all levels. To overcome this challenge, Rich seeks to engage his students in the inner workings of the local government. Earlier this year, he taught the students about the events and protests that led to the Revolutionary War, especially on the topic of taxation. To provide better understanding, Rich invited the leadership of Thomas County to present their functions and responsibilities and how tax revenue finances the achieving of these goals.

Among his current and former students and the faculty of Bishop Hall, Rich is most known for his transformative experiential learning trips, specifically the Alabama Civil Rights Tour, the Atlanta Heritage Tour, and many others. He also engages his personal passion as a world traveler and photographer into the daily activities of his classroom. He particularly enjoys traveling to cultural sites including the pyramids of Cairo, Egypt, the Rift Valley of Kenya, the Louvre of Paris, France, and throughout the United States — too many to list

Rich added, “I am a second-generation educator. My mother was a chemist who traded a lucrative career to teach middle school science, and my father is a contractor who taught at the vocational school. My parents instilled in me the ultimate value of a person is not measured in political, economic or social successes, but instead, we are measured by God in our efforts to help others achieve. Shaping the minds of young people continues to be a passion that energizes me.”

Bishop Hall sophomore Weakland also said that Rich encourages students to be their authentic selves. “When a situation arises with a student, he does not become frustrated, but tries to deescalate the situation in a calm and collected manner,” Weakland added. “Mr. Rich makes a point to get to know each student for themselves and not what someone might have told him. He has impacted so many lives, including mine.”

Rich obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in secondary education from Florida A & M University. He is currently working on a Master of Divinity from Morehouse School of Religion.