SAN ANTONIO – Aron Lee — known to students simply as Coach Lee — at Northside ISD’s Hobby Middle School is being recognized as KSAT’s Educator of the Month for February.
A crew from KSAT 12 and representatives from Firstmark Credit Union surprised Coach Lee with the Educator of the Month award while he was in class with a group of his 8th graders.
Lee was very surprised but humbled, and he thanked his colleagues, family, and students.
“I thank Mr. Carranco, Mr. Della, Dr. J, Ms. Lauder, my wife, my mom, all my students,” Lee said as his class erupted in applause. “This is crazy. I don’t have any more words. Thank you so much.”
Lee is now in his fourth year at Hobby Middle School after retiring from the U.S. Air Force.
He teaches eighth-grade Methodology of Academic and Personal Success (MAPS) and also coaches seventh-grade football, basketball and track.
And you can tell he has his students’ respect.
“What’s my third rule, class?” Lee asked his students during one lesson.
“Be real!” they responded in unison.
“I just want them to know that they have to be real,” Lee explained. “If they’re real with themselves, they can be real with the community, with their bosses, and anybody else.”
“I really appreciate Coach Lee being my teacher, said Hobby student Z’nya Chapman. “Because he was always there for all of us. And he helped us with our work all the time. He’s funny, and he’s cool. And I love him as my teacher.”
“Coach Lee brings excitement. He’s what we call in schools a ‘kid magnet,’” said Hobby Middle School Principal Lawrence Carranco. “He draws students to him, and it’s in a positive way. He’s a great speaker. They’ve been working on different skill sets here in the classroom. And it’s evident because it goes out to the entire campus.”
Lee credits his father for inspiring him to pursue a career in education.
“He once told me, you know, the best thing you can do for this world is write a book and teach the next generation,” said Lee. “And, so he passed in 2011. So, he didn’t get the chance to see me do it. He asked me to do so. He’s my inspiration.”