Terry Huge, who has been teaching math at Lehigh Senior High School since it opened and in the same classroom, was surprised when he was named Lee County Teacher of the Year. He is shown here in his classroom after school officials and the media descended on his room with the surprise announcement. Photo by Mel Toadvine

It’s been over a week but one Lehigh Acres teacher hasn’t forgotten the day when several people walked into his classroom with a surprise announcement.

Lehigh Senior High School student Ruben Guzman was busy taking a physics exam as were his fellow classmates when all at once, there was a knock at the door and in came school officials, the school’s principal, TV cameras and reporters.

“You’re the winner, congratulations,” said Jane Kuckel, chairman of the Lee County Board of Education, to Terry Huge. “You’re the Teacher of the Year for Lee County.”

Huge, who teaches mathematics at the school, could hardly say a word except to thank the team for selecting him.

“I owe this to my students,” he said. “It’s these guys that it’s all about. Thank you so much,” he said.

Rueben Guzman said his teacher, Terry Hug, is an awesome teacher. Photo by Mel Toadvine

Guzman said Huge was “an awesome teacher,” and that with his help, he knows he will be ready for college. He has been given a scholarship at Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach and wants to become an engineer. Embry-Riddle is not far from the space center on Florida’s east coast.

Dr. James Browder, the school district’s superintendent was part of the entourage that came in the classroom. Some of the students were at first

startled at the group entering the room and heading for their teacher.

Laughing, Huge told his students to keep on taking their test.

“You’re not getting off because of this,” he teased.

Terry Huge is shown with School Superintendent Dr. James Browder during the recent visit to Huge's classroom where he was named Lee County Teacher of the Year. Photo by Mel Toadvine

Huge, 53, has been teaching at Lehigh Senior High School since it opened in 1993. He and his wife were the first teachers hired at the school by its

principal then, Pete Flores.

Kuckel and Browder praised Huge for his dedicated service to the students that he teaches. Also attending was school board member Robert Chilmonik.

“You’re the best,” Kuckel said.

Huge had a black eye and he was asked what had happened.

Terry Huge

“I was playing racquetball the other night and well, I got hit,” he said. “I figured maybe it was good luck but I didn’t know what I would look like if they

take pictures,” he said.

Huge went on to say that he has the best job in the county and is happy to have the same classroom at the school since he began teaching there.

A photograph of Albert Einstein is displayed in the big classroom with all types of equations displayed on all four walls.

“I consider I’m a college recruiter,” Huge said. “I want my kids to do well . and I want to take them to the next level, college. Many of my students have

called me after they finished college and they told me they did well and thanked me,” he said modestly.

Kuckle presented Huge some prizes, including a bag of chocolate candy, which Huge promptly put down and told his students they were not getting any and then he laughed.

He will advance to the regionals and hopefully win that and go to the state competition for Teacher of the Year, Kuckle said.

Principal Jeff Spiro said Huge had the respect of all the teachers in the school.

“He not only tutors students, but he takes new teachers under his wings and offers any help he can to them,” Spiro said.

Two other teachers in the East Zone were among the top five finalists in the Teacher of the Year contest. They included Christopher Anderson at Lehigh

Elementary School and Neva Weisskopf at Alva Middle School.

The other finalists included Jeff Kulie at Cypress Lake High School and Jane Nordquist at Ida S. Baker High School.

In addition to the chocolates, Huge was given several other gifts and more are coming. They include tickets to the Barbara B. Mann Theatre and the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, gift certificates to area restaurants and other things. He was also given a lapel pin especially designed for the Teacher of the Year.