Mrs. Caroline Robb

Educator of the Year (7-12)

I am Caroline S. Robb and I was born in Toledo, Ohio.   I attended Jessup W. Scott High School and graduated in 1972. In my junior year, I became interested in Biology which was taught by Mrs. Katherine Eby a gentle woman who introduced me to fruit fly genetics and the classification of species. I was hooked.  I wanted to become a Science teacher.  After graduation, I entered the University of Cincinnati in the fall of ’72 as a Biology Major. I attended classes for about 2 years. Soon, however, I got a job and working became more important than school.  Attending classes went from day, to night to none at all. I married, became a mom and eventually went on to be a Lab Technician in several Cincinnati companies including US Shoe, Fries and Fries, and finally Procter and Gamble.  While working at P&G I returned to college and received my Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wilmington College in 1999. In 2002 I left P&G to accept an opportunity to teach Science as a substitute in a 5thgrade class.  It was a reconfirming experience.  I was determined to recover my dream of becoming a Science teacher. I labored through many more hours of Science classes and 4 additional years of RESA, all while working full time.  I wasn’t alone.  I had the support of my husband, children, church family, friends, District Superintendents, my children’s teachers all of them supporting my dream to become a Licensed Professional Science teacher which occurred in 2017.

I love teaching.  I believe all students can learn with the support of teachers who believe in them and understand how they learn. As a living example that dreams can become reality with faith, hard work and support from others I want to see each child maximize their own personal potential.   I believe children; can develop a love of learning science, when they have teachers who have both the patience and the passion to teach.  I hope my lessons inspire students to ask questions and investigate solutions that relate to their everyday experiences.  I hope my classes and my love of teaching will cause students to consider careers as Science teachers.  As our students navigate their way through this life impacting pandemic, they must be encouraged to stay the course academically and keep the faith in their success, because when this pandemic is over, or at least calmed down, it is they who must be prepared to produce and administer the cure so we can overcome this crisis. Teachers will never know the full impact we will make on the world through our students and we are satisfied, that we will not live to see all the fruits of our labor.  Mrs. Katherine Eby died in 2016, before I could tell her “thank you”. 

I am truly grateful for this award.  I wanted to be a Science teacher and now I am one.  You noticed me and for your acknowledgement of my efforts I say thank you.  My first class of 5thgraders graduated in 2010.  My philosophy of teaching is captured in this photo of their class and in one of my favorite quotes. “Today I lead my Class.  Tomorrow my students lead the world.”

In conclusion, I do what I love and I love what I do.  I am blessed to be a Science teacher.