The Washington State Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development announced that John Norlin, Leadership Teacher at Sumner High School, is the recipient of the 2009 Outstanding Young Educator Award.

Norlin received the award because of his instructional skills, dedication to students, involvement in professional growth, exceptional leadership skills, and commitment to his profession.

He teaches Leadership and Keystone, a class where high school juniors and seniors are trained to mentor at-risk freshmen and sophomores. The foundation of Norlin’s instruction is servant leadership, through patience, kindness, humility, respect, selflessness, forgiveness, honesty, and commitment. Norlin holds himself and his students

accountable for this type of leadership, as they set weekly character goals based on these traits and have accountability partners.

Norlin not only impacts students in his classes, but contributes to SHS as a whole. As a team member at the school, he joined the staff in their work with Professional Learning Communities, finding ways to collaborate with teachers even though his subject area makes him a singleton teacher.

Norlin serves as the freshman class adviser, Link Crew adviser (a mentoring program for freshmen), Transition Coordinator for eighth-graders, ASB adviser and volunteer soccer coach.

Norlin has helped organized the SHS Community Dinner for the past three years. He works with community members, surrounding businesses, and nonprofit organizations for donations and extends invitations to members of the community in need.