Chamber’s Outstanding Teacher for 2020
The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Nick Scott is Boothbay Region High School’s Outstanding Teacher for 2020.
“This has been a challenging year for students, teachers, and staff, but we are fortunate to have teachers like Nick,” said Superintendent Keith Laser. “He is the real deal and richly deserving of the award.”
Nick has a bachelor’s degree in secondary social sciences and history from the University of Maine at Farmington, and in 2021 he will complete his master’s degree in instructional technology from the University of Maine. He has taught at the high school for five years and taught at Boothbay Region Elementary School for 10 years before that. Nick and his wife, Mandy, have lived in the Boothbay region for 14 years and have two children.
Nick is a history teacher who integrates technology to enhance the learning experience and develop 21st century skills. For instance, his students write “rap battles” pitting historical figures or empires against each other (think Julius Caesar versus Genghis Khan or the Inca Empire versus the Egyptian Empire). His students also prepare slide presentations creating ideal civilizations choosing the best of the world’s great civilizations. Nick also teaches financial literacy, where he helps prepare students for life after high school introducing the concepts necessary for healthy personal finance. His students participate in the Stock Market Game, a national online simulation of global capital markets that engages students in the world of investing and culminates in InvestWrite, a national essay competition. Last year, one of Nick’s students had the top essay in Maine and two placed in the top ten nationally.
In addition to being an outstanding classroom teacher, Nick also coaches Seahawk sports teams in all three seasons. He has coached the varsity cross country and track and field teams for 14 years—the last seven as the head coach. He has been the head coach of the indoor track and field team for two years and before that was the head coach of the Nordic ski team for seven. Under Nick’s leadership, Seahawk cross country teams have won two state championships, multiple regional titles, and have won the Mountain Valley Conference Championship a record 10 times, including the last seven years in a row. Last fall, recent graduate Will Perkins, won the Class C individual cross country state championship. Nick, a former collegiate runner, is a role model as a teacher and a coach.
Ten years ago, Nick and a group of parents founded the annual Lobster Roll 5K road race to raise money and awareness for an outdoor track at the high school. The race has inspired hundreds to achieve their fitness goals and has raised nearly $50,000. While the track project is on hold for the time being pending securing adequate funding, Nick is overseeing an extensive enhancement and expansion of a multi-use trail around the school campus. The trail will benefit athletes, students, and the rest of the community. In recognition for being named the Chamber’s Outstanding Teacher, Nick will be awarded $1,000. Congratulations, Nick.
