OCTC ALUMNI
Linda Taylor
DR. JACOB BRYANT Teacher, Author, Trail Blazer
Far beyond his years in maturity and personal growth, it was an honor and inspiration for me to talk to Dr. Jacob Bryant, OCTC Discover College graduate from Apollo High and OCTC. He earned his associate degree in 2012 and by 2017 had completed his bachelor’s and master’s from Western Kentucky University and his Ph.D from Oakland City. Now that is “idling on high” according to his mentor, Meredith Skaggs, who said, “ Jacob is a standout individual who is focused on caring about others, has a great understanding of purpose and is rooted in this philosophy. I am so proud of his accomplishments.” Dr. Bryant gave much credit to Dr. Skaggs and Mary Kinney for their encouragement and faith in his abilities. Jacob added, “I don’t know where I would be without their help.” Although it has been nearly nine years since he attended OCTC, he admits it only seems like yesterday. He is so thankful for the opportunity afforded him to attend a school so vital to our community that serves both traditional and nontraditional students. He sees OCTC as a “bridge” that seeks to prepare students for their junior and senior years of college or employment through the various technical programs. In a recent article featured in the online news, Owensboro Times, the reporter wrote College View Middle School science teacher Jacob Bryant, who also serves as achievement gap coordinator/ interventionist as well as gifted and talented teacher leader, has published two books available on Amazon. “Middle School Teaching Matters: A Common Sense Approach to Succeeding with Adolescents,” which is 23
focused on 6th-8th grades and “Teaching Kids Online is NOT Virtually Impossible: A handbook for Effective K-12 Online Instruction,” which explores best practices for virtual teaching and learning. As he discovered success through his online learning, his inspiration for the books came from his desire to share his experiences with a wider audience and an opportunity to offer influence and support to other teachers. In addition to his role at CVMS, Bryant has taught online undergraduate and graduate courses for local universities for four years. He obviously has a real passion for online learning and believes some of our most meaningful lessons come from experiential learning. As the future of how schools serve students is rapidly changing, Dr. Bryant continued to be challenged by his core belief that students deserve our best each and every day. He shares, “Our responsibility as educators is to provide the best learning experience possible for students, even if it means making a difference from a distance. After all, teachers are problem solvers.” Bryant states, “I have a strong belief that an education is the great equalizer and the lifeblood of our society.” Jacob has been married now for three years to an elementary educator. When asked where he sees himself five or even ten years from now, he paused and said, “I have set goals and met them; however, currently it is about answering to my life purpose and discovering where I can make the most impact at the time.” Somewhere in his future he would like to take a greater interest in leadership roles, but for now he appears quite content on the path he has chosen. I predict we will hear more about Dr. Jacob Bryant in years to come. # OCTC Proud! OCTC President’s News Fall 2020
