Staff and Student Features 

FSIoffice 14th annual Teacher All-Star: Mr. Willard

The FSIoffice Teacher All Star award is a promotion that recognizes and rewards teachers who go above and beyond in their vocation of educating local students. Nominations are received daily from parents, coworkers, friends, students, and others across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia who believe their teachers have excelled in leading and teaching students. This year, HHIHS’s very own Mr. Willard has been nominated and earned a spot in the FSIoffice top 10  Teacher All Stars list.

“It really means a lot that I have been recognized for my teaching and I’m very appreciative of it,” said Mr. Willard enthusiastically. The FSIoffice Teacher All Star award is one of the most prestigious awards that any teacher can earn and it is not a common occurrence for a teacher to be nominated for such an award.

Mr. Willard is a math teacher here at Hilton Head Island High School (HHIHS) as he teaches classes such as IB Calculus, Pre Calculus, as well as many more. Mr Willard excels in his teaching as he teaches in a fun way which is easy for students to enjoy, understand and he creates relationships with each and every one of his students. “Probably the most important part about teaching would be making relationships with the students,” said Mr. Willard. 

The Best Seahawk

By: Samanta Garcia

Hilton Head Island High School is home to many staff members. Some have different roles than others but every year one is named the staff member of the year. For the school year of 2022-2023 Mrs. Mary Burke was named Staff Member of the year. She has been Hilton Head Island High School social worker for two years. 

Mrs Burke was not a teacher before becoming a staff member, and went to school before coming here. “ So I wasn't a teacher before this job, I was actually in school. I went to the University of South Carolina for social work, so I got my degree there and that is how I started this job.”

She said, “I think my relationships with both the kids and as well as the teachers and staff, I think helped a lot. My relationships with them as well as my relationships with the children, and just building relationships, growing relationships, I think is what really might have been why I was nominated.”

Her relationships with all the staff and students really helped her win Staff Member of the year . The bond she shares with people around Hilton Head Island High School made her fellow co-workers vote for her.

Mrs. Burke didn’t think she was going to win, she says, “I honestly didn’t think I was in the running.” Although she didn’t aim to win, she was surprised to win the award, “ I was very surprised, I was very honored, and blessed to have to have that recognition because that means I’m doing my job,” she said.

Hilton Head Island doesn’t allow a past winner to be in the running the following year, so Mrs. Burke won’t be in the running for Staff Member of the year. “ I don’t think that's my goal, you know I was very honored to have the recognition and I was even more honored that my staff voted me to be that, however I’d like to see other people get that recognition, because there are many people in this school that do many good things.” 

Mrs Burke, is honored to have received the award and extremely blessed. But wants others to win. Although she only won it once she will always be remembered as Hilton Head's 2023 Staff Member of the Year.

HHIHS Teacher of the Year: Mr. Best

By: Ashton Johnson

Teacher of the year is one of the most prestigious awards that a teacher can earn during his or her teaching career. This year's teacher of the year winner, Mr. Best speaks about his teaching career and how it led him to winning the teacher of the year award here at Hilton Head Island High School (HHIHS).

Obviously, the teacher of the year award doesn't come without experience, “This will be my 9th year teaching,” says Mr. Best. These nine years have given him the experience needed in order to improve how he teaches.

“Probably my favorite thing about teaching is when the kids see a topic and think it’s way too hard and they will never be able to do it, and then after a week or two they're crushing it and know how to do it, so being able to help kids overcome obstacles that come on the way is the best feeling in the world.” Being able to help kids overcome obstacles that get in their way are one of the most important things that a teacher can do. Over nine years of teaching, Mr. Best has perfected his craft which eventually led to him winning the award.

Of course, it takes time to be able to master the art of teaching, throughout the years teachers can face many obstacles which challenge their methods. Throughout his nine years of teaching, the most important thing that Mr. Best has learned is that “It’s all about relationships, and trying to do your best. I am not the best teacher, I’m not. But I do my best every single day, and it’s not about being the best, but it’s about what you do for the students.” As a teacher the relationships that you build with students can be the main factor in winning teacher of the year, and they can even impact that students life for the rest of their lives.

Who is the Most Spirited in the School

By: Connor MacCabe

Everyone has one person in their school who’s “The most spirited person.”  In Hilton Head High School there are a few well spirited people but it’s hard to just pick one person.  To solve this problem a poll was create to help find out this question.  Many names were listed but one familiar one kept coming up, Richard Neste.

Richard Neste is a Senior at Hilton Head Island High School who transferred from Hilton Head Prep his junior year.  He is loved by many of his classmates and his seen as a funny guy by the public.  Richard is also an athlete who once played football but has dropped it and now focuses on golf.  This year he hopes to enjoy his last year on Hilton Head as he will be leaving for college soon.

When Richard was confronted with the title of the most spirited person in the school he said “I don’t even see how I’m the most spirited person here.” giggling at himself.  “I’m not very spirited when it comes to actual school… but the sporting events,” before he could even finish his sentences he started laughing just thinking about some of the things he’s done.  He talks about a time he “Got some friends to body paint the word Seahawks,” with some friends at a football game.  Richard also talked about the time he “Made cut outs of players' faces,” for another football game.  Richard said he is “Happy see him as such a high spirited person.”