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Local teacher wins ‘Hero in the Classroom’ award
St. Patrick High School teacher Tim "Doc" Woods leads students Adeyanju Akisanya and Roger Feign in the school's college biology class . | Judy Fidkowski~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 25, 2013 6:18AM
Science can be a difficult subject for many students, but St. Patrick High School students are fortunate to have a motivated teacher leading the class.
Timothy “Doc” Woods is that teacher at St. Patrick High, a school that serves residents from Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, including Norridge, Harwood Heights, Elmwood Park and River Grove.
Earlier in the school year, student Joseph Muzupappa nominated Woods, who heads the school’s Science Department, for the Heroes in the Classroom Award.
Muzupappa, a senior and Illinois state scholar, was an usher at a Chicago Bears football game with the school’s Model UN Club for a volunteer project when he saw a display seeking nominations for “teacher of the week,” an award the Bears co-sponsor.
“He deserves the award,” Muzupappa said. “His college biology class I took last year was the best class I’ve ever taken.
Muzupappa said Woods also relates well to students.
“I learned a lot, and I remembered,” the student said. “Doc Woods finds the best way to teach each subject.”
Muzupappa’s support of Woods paid off as Bears offensive lineman Edwin Williams delivered the award to Woods at a recent school assembly.
“It was a huge surprise,” Woods said.
In addition to the award, Woods received two tickets to a Bears game and was able to spend about 45 minutes before the game on the field.
“I was so close to the players,” Woods said. “What a thrill.”
Humbled by the award and praise from students, Woods said he didn’t think he deserved the award.
“I love what I do,” he said. “I work with great kids like Joe.
“And the topics I teach are inherently interesting to me.”
Returning Muzupappa’s compliments, Woods said the students at St. Patrick make teaching enjoyable.
“We have common interests,” he said, “and the same sense of humor.
“I think I learn as much from them as they do from me.”
