Dennis Brown - 2019 Teacher of the Year
Dennis Brown - 2019 Teacher of the Year
Huntley High School ~ Hutley, Illinois
ALA President Joetter Reger, Dennis Brown, and ALA President-Elect, Jaquie Rothermel
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Mr. Brown left a successful law school education at DePaul University College of Law to pursue a secondary teaching degree from Roosevelt University. At Huntley High School he transitioned from teaching English to American Law and Justice course with a "Street Law" text. Using this as a springboard, he developed a curriculum that more deeply investigated criminal and constitutional law; bringing skills taught in law school to high school students. The course were so popular that the school needed to hire another law teacher.
He developed moot court and debate activities and designed Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Constitutional Law study guides. He was chosen to participate in the Street Law Supreme Court Summer Institute in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Brown uses fictional characters in his case-law scenarios. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy could play roles in one case while Captain America, the Hulk,
and Red Skull could be used to dramatize another legal point. He also adds reality to his classes with participation by local police and FBI agents.
Mr. Brown was named a "Those Who Excel" finalist in 2010 for the Illinois State Board of Education's State Teacher of the Year. In 2012, he was named a finalist in Northwestern University's Distinguished Secondary Teacher Award.
Mr. Brian Truaz, Social Studies Department Chair at Huntley HIgh, wrote, "Mr. Brown is an outstanding educator and a passionate believer in citizenship and our need to understand our rights and responsibilities as citizens." As Mr. Brown wrote in his application, "To this day, my experiences in law school fuel my passion and enthusiasm....for teaching high school law classes...That's what gets me excited each day. In the end, I was lucky enough to 'find my bliss' after all: I am a high school law teacher."