POSTED DECEMBER 2023
“I joined the Army, and the rest is history.”
Serving others is second nature to Tejeda Middle School teacher George Harris.
“I joined the Army, and the rest is history.”
He served in the U.S. Army for 30 years. His career sent him around the world. He was stationed in Germany, South Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan, including several stateside posts, before he and his family settled in San Antonio nearly 20 years ago.
A program called Troops to Teachers led Harris to the classroom after retiring from the Army. While he never expected to find himself teaching, it was a natural fit. With a calm, easy-going demeanor, it’s easy for him to connect and communicate with his students.
“I can relate to these kids – just like I can with my own kids,” said Harris. “I get along with the kids and I enjoy being around them and I really like teaching math.”
Harris was a student teacher at Tejeda before he landed his first teaching job at Hill Middle School. Today, he’s back at Tejeda as a Math Acceleration Teacher, although he’s taught science and social studies as well.
Harris is also a sponsor of the Student 2 Student group at Tejeda. This student-led program brings military and civilian students together to welcome new students, create a positive environment, support academic excellence and ease transitions.
As a veteran, and a father, Harris knows first-hand the positive impact an initiative like S2S can have on our students and families.
“I know what it’s like to move around and I’ve seen my own kids have to move and the challenges that come with that. I know that if you don’t have a group of friends, the lunch hour can be especially hard. Now with S2S, they have someone to eat lunch with them and walk them to class. That’s a great thing. It makes a difference.”
