Chris Monsour ‘99 never intended to be a teacher.
Like many Heidelberg students, Chris walked across campus in the 1990s, focused on his biology degree, thinking he would find success working in environmental science. But after graduating, a short-term job subbing in Tiffin City Schools turned into a career he never expected. His early days weren’t easy. He was well-versed in the subject, but knew very little about leading a class.
“I kind of fell into it,” Chris reflected. Yet his recent honor was no accident. Last week, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce officially recognized him as Ohio’s Teacher of the Year.
Earlier this summer, he was named a finalist for the award, representing more than 122,000 educators statewide. The recipient list was narrowed down to Chris and three other finalists from Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland.
On Thursday, Sept. 4, at an impromptu pep rally at Columbian High School, he received the award from state and local educators. It’s a first for the Tiffin City Schools.
He had a somewhat understated reaction to receiving the award. “I do not do this for awards,” he said. “But it is validation that I work hard, and Tiffin (City Schools) definitely needed a win!”
From passion to profession
That first step – a chance meeting with TSC’s superintendent at a local restaurant where he was working as a waiter – led to a teaching career that has now spanned 26 years. Chris teaches advanced science courses at Tiffin Columbian High School, including AP Biology, Honors Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Oceanus, Environmental Science, and several College Credit Plus courses. Over the years, he has become known for designing hands-on exercises, taking students outside, and weaving in stories and lessons from his own summer travels. His goal is always to make science real for his students.
Chris believes the best way to learn science is to dive in and experience it firsthand—though his students also get to travel the world vicariously through the amazing stories he brings back from his scientific expeditions around the world.
“It is like telling a story, trying to keep (my students) engaged, motivated, and interactive in the classroom,” he said.
He’s definitely not lacking passion for his work. “I love it most days, yes,” he said. “I love my content area and I love teaching biology.”
“I like to keep it active and bring my own experience into the classroom,” he said. And what experiences they are — tracking wolves and bison in Montana, blasting off at Space Camp, and studying leatherback turtles in Trinidad. His passport also tells the story: Thailand, Namibia, Costa Rica, Hawaii, China … and counting.
“That’s the way I recharge in the summer,” he said. “It helps me find the balance between work and a personal life, and it’s a great resource for material to bring back to the classroom.”
Chris is a double Heidelberg grad with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biology, plus a second master’s from Montana State. In addition to earning his teaching certificate, he has moonlighted, teaching at Heidelberg, the University of Findlay, Terra State Community College, and Tiffin University, and guided gifted youth through Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth.
Asked what has kept him in the classroom for nearly three decades, Chris pointed to the students.
“Sometimes it’s the kids who aren’t the top students that come back years later and say, ‘You really made a difference,’” he said. “I really like to see students actively doing science. I feel like that’s the way to approach it.”
Small town, big impact: What’s next?
Now, as Ohio Teacher of the Year, Chris hopes to use his role to inspire and advocate for educators across the state. He’ll serve as an ambassador for the teaching profession and represent the state in the National Teacher of the Year competition. “It’s cool to get to represent Ohio’s teachers,” he said.
To those considering or just entering the profession, his message is straightforward.
“Teaching isn't easy, but if you love it, it's worth it,” he said.
From a substitute teacher in a small town to Ohio’s top educator, Chris’s story shows how unexpected paths can lead to extraordinary impact. For Heidelberg, it is also a reminder of the difference alumni make every day.