Berglund is Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to Ryan Berglund, a Sustainable Agriculture Academy teacher at Millbrook Magnet High, who is the 2024 Wake County Public School System Teacher of the Year. 

Berglund transitioned to teaching Career and Technical Education after working as a professional welder and equipment fabricator. He has been one of Millbrook Magnet High’s Agriculture teachers since July 2019. He is also a graduate of Millbrook High.

Berglund holds a a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education from University of Mount Olive, as well as being the only agriculture teacher in North Carolina that is an AWS Certified Welding Inspector. 

Instructional style and philosophy

When sharing about his approach to teaching, Berglund wrote, “Our students are able to build some amazing projects that show their true understanding of the objectives in the course. I always tell my students, ‘I will not be there in the real world to tell you how to build it, you will have to figure it out.’ This takes their understanding to a new level.”

Berglund added that his experience with educational differences has shaped how he interacts with his own students. 

“In the third grade I was diagnosed with dyslexia. In resource classes, I was able to see how students with disabilities have been given a different lens to look through that is not right or wrong, just different. This is a mindset I try to instill in all of my students.”

While teaching at Millbrook, Berglund has helped implement the school’s Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) program that allows over 350 students annually to gain work-based learning experiences. Students in the program have started businesses, worked with local agriculture enterprises and created their own service programs.

International study and additional winnings

As Teacher of the Year, Berglund will get to participate in the Go Global NC international study program in the Netherlands during summer 2025. The trip is sponsored by the Dan Royster Memorial Teacher Award, in honor of a former WCPSS science teacher.

He will also have the opportunity to attend the Global Leaders Teacher Fellowship conference compliments of Participate Learning.

In addition, Berglund received an engraved award, a $100 gift card to Angus Barn, a $1,000 check from sponsors, a weekend stay at the Umstead Hotel and Spa with complimentary breakfast at Heron’s Restaurant, a $100 Amazon gift card compliments of sponsors; a Chromebook compliments of Lenovo; a gift bag from Crossroads Chick-fil-A; and autographed hockey gear donated by the Carolina Hurricanes.

To top it all off, he will also have the use of a 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, compliments of Capital Chevrolet, for the next year.