Since she’s spent her entire 17-year teaching career at the Bartlesville Mid-High School, the former students of Terri Bryan always know where to find her.

And, they often seek her out. Regardless of what career field they have chosen, the message they wish to convey to her is usually something of the same refrain: Thank you.

“To know that my former students have found their place in society – whether it be as a doctor, lawyer, businessman, politician or a teacher – solidifies that I have had a hand in making a difference,” says Bryan.

“I believe my greatest accomplishments in education are to be measured by my students’ successes.”

Bryan has certainly enjoyed successes of her own in her chosen career field. She was recently named the Mid-High’s 2008 Teacher of the Year and will vie with the other 11 site winners from throughout the Bartlesville Public School District for the 2008 Teacher of the Year honor. The district’s eventual winner will be announced on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the 2008 Teacher of the Year ceremony, which is set to unfold at 6 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Bartlesville High School campus.

Bryan never had any doubt as to what she wanted to do when she grew up. As a young child, she would often play “school” in her backyard with friends and stuffed animals standing in as her students. She would pretend to teach lessons and grade papers.

Eager to get started as a student, as a precocious four-year-old, she convinced her parents to enroll her in a private Christian school. Once in high school, she found herself somewhat envious of her instructors. They were doing what she couldn’t wait to be doing herself one day.

“During my senior year, I was a teacher’s aide,” recalls Bryan. “Once again, I found myself grading papers and taking on the role of a teacher.

“It was experiences like that which reconfirmed my calling.”

Bryan believes the ability to learn lies within all people. As a teacher, her goal is always to find that ability within each and every one of her students and spark it to a point where it blossoms. Bryan is a firm believer in individualized instruction, tailoring her lessons to ensure that no one is left behind. She teaches with her eyes and ears wide open as well, noting where a student’s struggles and challenges outside of school might be affecting them in the classroom.

Bryan was a pioneer in the implementation of the Mid-High’s first ninth-grade “Pilot Team,” which consists of four core-subject teachers, three counselors and a principal while working to ensure the success of incoming freshman students. The team collaborates with the students as well as their parents. Due to the success of the program, three more “Pilot Teams” have already been added.

Bryan is a member of the National Science Teacher Association as well as the Oklahoma Science Teacher Association. A strong believer in professional development, she plans to pursue her National Board teaching certification this year. Bryan has served as the Mid-High’s Science Department coordinator since 1997.

In addition to working on the Salvation Army’s Canned Food Drive at the Mid-High for six years, Bryan has volunteered in the fight against breast cancer while organizing a fundraiser for the area “Women and Children In Crisis” organization.

Bryan has gained national recognition as a nine-time Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers Award winner as well as having earned the 2006 Outstanding American Teachers Award. She is a three-time nominee for the district’s Kurt Schmoldt Teacher Appreciation Award.

Bryan has spent many fulfilling years enjoying a career which she always knew she wanted. The future is bright, and she looks forward to what it will bring.

“I feel like after teaching 17 years, I have so much yet to contribute,” says Bryan. “I too am a lifelong learner, and as I continue my quest for knowledge, I know I will continue to grow as a professional.”