Congratulations to Mr. Bernard Charles on his award of the 2021 Annette and Jim McConnell Secondary History Teacher of the Year!  Mr. Charles is a veteran social studies teacher who currently teaches at Renaissance High School. His journey into education began as a student of Detroit Public Schools graduating from Denby High School in 2008. As a teacher of social studies, he has had experience in all the course areas but has a special passion for history and government-based courses. In these courses, he loves to empower his students to think critically, analyze varying perspectives, and appreciate that the educational process can be challenging, but also fun and engaging. Mr. Charles has stated “[t]eaching my students is an honor and privilege and as a result, I set a high standard for every student regardless of abilities. Every student has something to offer and it is my task to develop not only students but citizens of the world.” Mr. Charles understands that history is alive and always changing resulting in a desire for students to comprehend and reflect constantly on the realities faced in the past, present, and future. It is a great honor to have teachers like Mr. Charles in the classroom.  Thank you, Mr. Charles, for your commitment to DPSCD students and excellence in social studies teaching!