May 24, 2007
Clark Recognizes Harry Schooley of Buffalo, NY,
with an Outstanding Secondary Educator Award
 Worcester, Mass. - Mr. Harry B. Schooley, a resident of Buffalo, NY, and teacher at the Buffalo Seminary received this year's Outstanding Secondary Educator Award from the Clark University Alumni Association on May 20. The award recognizes secondary-school teachers for the critical role they play in preparing students for higher education. It is presented at Honors Convocation, held just prior to Commencement every year.
Schooley began his career at the Buffalo Seminary in 1967 and, despite a brief hiatus at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, OH, where he served as Head of the Upper School and History Department, he has taught history at the college preparatory school for girls for over 30 years. He is a graduate of Williams College where he received his BA in American Civilization. He has also completed graduate level courses in Education and Administration at Canisius College and studied at Georgetown University, Oxford, and SUNY Potsdam.
Schooley teaches Modern European History and AP European History as well as AP Art History. He currently serves as the History Department Chair. He is the faculty advisor to the School Government Association and a member of both the Cum Laude Faculty Committee and the Faculty Professional Development Committee.
His former student, Chandra K. Hollander of Rochester, NY, nominated him for the award. On May 20, Hollander received a bachelor of arts in history. She plans to pursue a master's degree in education at Lesley University next year. Hollander was inspired to get an education degree to give back to future students what she got from the Buffalo Seminary.
According to Hollander, her experience in Schooley's class influenced her course of study at Clark.
"I sought out taking classes on Russia because he made it so interesting," she said. "Since then I have been fascinated with Russia and hope to visit some day."
According to Hollander, Schooley made learning history fun.
"His enthusiasm for history and sharing his knowledge with his students was contagious," she said. "I will be the first to say I did not enjoy history until I had Mr. Schooley."
While teaching a class on Totalitarianism, Schooley would place a character from Rocky and Bullwinkle on his desk and point it at a student. When he taught about the fall of the Russian Czarist rule, he taught his students how to speak Russian "just as something extra."
"It was little things like that which made his classes a little more captivating," said Hollander.
On learning of the award, Schooley said, "I am humbled that Clark sees me as worthy of the award. Teachers always hear when students or parents find fault with their efforts. They rarely hear from those who are satisfied. Clark's Outstanding Secondary Educator Award makes my 40 years as a teacher worth every minute spent in the classroom, doing preparation, and evaluating student work.
"History is a really great story and I love sharing it with young people," said Schooley. "I believe that a credible teacher must be not only love and be knowledgeable in one's subject matter but demonstrably enthusiastic as well. I find my enthusiasm for history personally invigorating and look forward to taking my students along for the ride."
"Teachers like Mr. Schooley, who pursue excellence in their profession and have a positive impact on the lives of others, exemplify the best that education has to offer. His efforts have inspired one of our own Clark students to continue in this important profession," said Richard E. Caswell '89, president of the Alumni Association.
This is the 23rd year that Clark's Alumni Association has presented the Outstanding Secondary Educator Award. Clark seniors nominate their high-school teachers for the award and then discuss the nominees with a committee of Alumni Association members.
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