Travis Bryant Named 2022-2023 Steamboat Springs School District Educator of the Year

Steamboat Springs, Colo. - May 26, 2023 - Travis Bryant, an Industrial Arts teacher at Steamboat Springs Middle School (SSMS), is the 2022-2023 Steamboat Springs School District (SSSD) Educator of the Year. 

Colleagues, parents, and students nominate Educator of the Year nominees in each building. Staff selects their building-level Educator of the Year. The building-level winners are then interviewed for the district-wide Educator of the Year. The announcement was made at the SSSD End of Year Celebration at the Steamboat Springs Community Center on May 25.

The following staff members were the building-level Educators of the Year: 

• Soda Creek Elementary - Julie Herman, SpEd Paraprofessional  

• Strawberry Park Elementary - Desiree Wilcox, Kindergarten Teacher

• Sleeping Giant School - Karen Draper, Assistant Principal 

• Steamboat Springs High School - Chuck Rosemond, SpEd Teacher 

“This year’s class of educators is outstanding,” said Dr. Celine Wicks, SSSD Superintendent. “Each of the building-level Educators of the Year has their unique way of leaving a positive impact on their students, and collectively they help to make our schools truly special.” 

Mr. Bryant has been at SSMS for more than 15 years and an educator for more than 30, and is a master at his craft of educating students in building life skills through hands-on learning experiences. He challenges students to work outside their comfort zone through experiential learning opportunities that allow them to craft various projects such as cutting boards, tic-tac-toe boards, gumball machines, ski racks, and Adirondack chairs. 

He is an expert in teaching Industrial arts and differentiates his instruction in a progressive way beginning with simple projects in 6th grade and advancing to more challenging and technical projects. In the 8th grade, Mr. Bryant has his students pitch a project they want to build, and they vote on it as a class. Sometimes it takes a few days to reach a consensus, but the end result is a project the students are proud of and motivated to build. 

“We get to try something new and out of our comfort zone and have fun with it.  I felt accomplished when I completed my project,” said one of his students. 

His ability to engage students in the classroom is often described as “magical.” He is a master facilitator who prioritizes safety and believes everyone has a role to play. Mr. Bryant expects a level of personal responsibility when using tools safely and holds students accountable for respectful and safe behavior. 

“I love his attitude, he has a let’s get it done approach,” said another student.

In the classroom, Mr. Bryant connects with students uniquely and treats them all as individuals who are valued. Mr. Bryant also builds positive relationships in the hallways and through his leadership in coaching wrestling and track. He requires his athletes to be committed and disciplined to achieve success. 

“I’ve gained insight into how kids tick and how they work. The more connections you can make with students outside the classroom, the better,” said Bryant. 

Mr. Bryant has coached nearly every sport at SSMS, including wrestling, and was a representative on the School Accountability Committee this year. He is also an Encore (electives) teacher who sees students mature and grow throughout middle school and has the unique perspective of supporting students from 6th to 8th grade. 

This year, SSMS needed a track coach. Some of the track athletes begged Coach Bryant to coach the field events. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Bryant stepped up to meet the kid's extracurricular needs and help the team. 

“While teaching alongside Travis Bryant for the past 15 years, it is evident that he is an incredible educator who deserves to be the Steamboat Springs Middle School Educator of the Year,” said Chris Adams, a physical education teacher at SSMS who nominated Mr. Bryant. “The impact he imparts on students and athletes lasts well beyond their middle school years, and he is an irreplaceable teacher in our school.” 

###

Media contact: Laura Milius, Director of Communications (lmilius@ssk12.org)