Golden Apple Award: Mike Beeler, Dade County High School

TRENTON, GA (WDEF) – Mike Beeler is a dedicated teacher, who always goes the extra mile for his students at Dade County High. He genuinely cares about them and their success in and out of the classroom. Throw in a dash of fun and creativity, and you have a recipe for tonight’s Golden Apple Award.

“Mr. Beeler, he comes here every day, I would say the best characteristic he has, he just loves on our kids.  You know he from the time he walks in the door to the time he leaves, he’s got a smile on his face. And the kids can just see love pouring out of him,” said Brent Cooper, the Principal at Dade County High School.

When asked to describe himself, Mr. Beeler says, “ Well, I am 60 years old, in my next profession. I’m by degree training, I’m a religious guy.  So my degrees are in religion and I was talked into taking this position.  I love the course.  It’s a lot of discipline and a lot of time.  My wife is the principal at the middle school.  We have kids all the way from Washington DC down to St Petersburg Florida.  Three grandbabies, one more on the way.  That’s me. We ended up here because my wife got the job at the middle school.  I was in between churches and I was coaching and doing some stuff in Calhoun at that time.  And so when she got the job we decided to come here.  I didn’t have a job and so I filled in for the maintenance guy that was having some surgeries done.  And as I was working on the floor in the Commons here, the former principal asked me if I’d be interested in the class. And so that’s how it all that’s how I ended up in this class.” 

  Beeler has made a home for himself as a Mechatronics Pathway Teacher at Dade County High School.

  “He is fun. He’s outgoing and he’s a great teacher. He has patience with people. That’s a good thing to have with kids. And he’s just overall a good teacher,” said Jace Anderson, a senior at Dade County High School.

“He’s a good teacher.  I mean the class is fun.  You get to do a lot of major things like wiring and working on cars and stuff.  But he’s very patient and enjoys his job,” said Demetrius Walker, a senior at Dade County High School.

“He’s very hardworking and very focused on getting these things done so he can compete,” said Elijah Williams, a junior at Dade County High School.

Beeler explains, “I like the kids. I  like being with the kids.  I like kids learning new stuff, especially this course is about troubleshooting and having to think through and process problems. S o I love watching the kids come up with Solutions I wouldn’t come up with necessarily.”

“What do you want the kids who are here and the ones who have come through your courses, what do you want them to remember about you?” asked News 12 Chief Photographer David Moore.

“I want them to remember I cared.  And then you know that I cared I was involved.  I like to listen to their problems and help them with their problems.  And then I hope they take something out of the course if it’s just they can problem solve,” said Beeler.