Student Nomination Story

Mr. Coury saved one of my best friend's life. My friend Henry collapsed during track practice and Mr. Coury performed CPR and saved his life. But, this is not the only way he has drastically affected my life for the better. I have been in Mr. Coury’s class for two years now and I have always, always felt supported. Him being our teacher feels like a divine intervention. He is a quintessential guide to life, which is what I think a teacher should be. Mr. Coury cares about us, he knows my name. He takes care of me. I have been struggling in virtual school and I have been withdrawn from my teachers and other students. Out of nowhere, I receive an email from Mr. Coury checking up on me, not only in math but making sure I, as a person, am ok too. In a class of forty and juggling multiple classes, running track practice, and taking care of his entire family, I was flabbergasted that he still took time out of his day to consider how I was doing. Not only is he the best teacher I have ever had, but also is one of the most selfless and genuine people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Mr. Coury always jokes that his students are smarter than him and that we are going to do much better things than becoming a math teacher like him, but I would like to argue that without him, we would not even have the potential to do these great things. He is a step on each one of our staircases to success, for some, like Henry he is the reason he can graduate and go to college and become whatever he is going to become. What greater impact can a teacher, a person, have on our lives. Mr. Coury deserves this nomination more than anyone, thank you for your consideration.

Paige Millis-Wight

Mr. Coury is the, by far, the most incredible teacher I’ve ever had. Entering my sophomore year, I was extremely nervous for his class: AP Calculus AB. All my academic life leading up to this point had taught me that Calculus was a subject to be feared. It was incomprehensible, unfathomable, and, simply put, too complex for any 16 year old to grasp. However, there was one thing that calmed my nerves a little bit entering his classroom. Mr. Coury’s reputation had proceeded him. I had been told by some of my upperclassmen friends that Mr. Coury was likely the best teacher that Sunnyslope had ever seen, yet even with such high praise, he far surpassed any of my highest expectations. With each lesson, he made complex and nuanced concepts, not only digestible, but logical and straightforward so much so that he had transformed a subject which I feared into my favorite class of the day. I distinctly remember one day in class when instead of simply teaching what integrals were and how to use them, he gave a history lesson explaining how Isaac Newton invented them and the thought process that he used. This was one of my favorite days in his class because by teaching the concept in this way, he not only gave his students a greater understanding of said concept, but also he actually made the class fun (something that I thought was impossible before I met him.) The way Mr. Coury cares about his students is different from any other teacher I’ve had. Often times, it feels as though he wants us to succeed more than we ourselves do. He always has his classroom open for anyone struggling with material an hour before school starts and at least an hour after school ends everyday (or at least everyday except during track season.) During track season, many students know Mr. Coury as Coach Coury. I unfortunately, have never had the pleasure to be coached by Mr. Coury, though some of my close friends have and from what I hear his proficiency as a coach rivals his excellency as an educator. The compassion that he has for others translates exceptionally to the track and is what makes him such a good coach. Furthermore, Mr. Coury is a religious man and, personally, I believe that God tends to whisper in his ear. Very recently, a close friend of mine on the track team had to be flown into the hospital after a serious emergency at track practice. He had been running a several mile long course with Coach Coury and the other long distance runners when he informed Coury that he was feeling unwell and was going to run back to school and get some rest. Moments later, Mr. Coury had the inclination to turn back and make sure that my friend arrived back to campus okay. On his way back, Mr. Coury found my friend passed out on the ground, unconscious and not breathing. Despite the horrifying scene, Mr. Coury acted quickly and his decisive action saved my friend’s life. Mr. Coury began to perform CPR immediately upon arriving at the scene and continued to do so until paramedics arrived. It is because of Mr. Coury that my friend is still with us here today. Mr. Coury is a remarkable teacher and a remarkable man. He has not only been a phenomenal teacher but also has served as a role model for me and everyone else who has been fortunate enough to have him in their lives; he is a man who has demonstrated that he not only had the capacity to change lives, but also to save them.

Reed Sutton

To see more exceptional teacher nominees, visit The Honor Roll.