Hillside JROTC Instructor Named DPS Teacher of the Year

First Sgt. Jeffery Matthews, who teaches JROTC at Hillside High School, this week was named Durham Public Schools Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024.

He’s been teaching at Hillside for seven years.

“It’s a passion,” he said. “You’ve got to have a passion for it. 99% of the teachers have a passion for this work. We are counselors, mentors, coaches, guiding lights.” He told the audience at The Cotton Room on Thursday that he repeated 11th grade himself because he had been overlooked, a forgotten student. “The landscape is changing, so how do we engage and make everyone feel good enough to know they have potential? You have to know the kids in some aspect. That’s what builds classroom culture. You have to take the ‘me’ out of the picture.”

Matthews served 29 years in the U.S. Army and is a retired non-commissioned officer. He teaches Hillside students from ninth through 12th grade. “It’s the kids who keep me here. I can see the transformation,” he said in a DPS blog post. “We can be that connection for that child. If you can affect one you can affect many.”

The Louisiana native counts history as his favorite subject. He’s working on a master’s degree in business administration.

In recognition of his achievement, Matthews received a one-year lease on a 2024 Toyota Camry from Mark Jacobson Toyota. He also received $1,000, a Lenovo laptop, an overnight stay and $50 dining credit at The Durham Hotel, VIP Cinema Pack at The Caroline Theatre, a VIP package with two tickets to Clue from The Durham Performing Arts Center, a 4-ticket prize pack to a Durham Bulls game, a $100 gift card to Geer Street Garden, a 60-minute massage from Healing Strength, a gift card to Beyu Caffe, and a custom-engraved Teacher of the Year keychain from JewelSmith.