University of Phoenix Picks Portland Teacher for Mentor of the Year

Teaching in a classroom can be a challenge on its own, but mentoring is another thing altogether — the amount of energy and one-on-one intensity is something to be commended. This month, one man was recognized for exactly that. Russ Kinyon, a fourth grade teacher at Glenfair Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, was honored by University of Phoenix online with a Mentor of the Year Award.

In addition to commanding his classroom, Kinyon had also been mentoring Michele Interian, a student teacher pursuing a teaching degree at University of Phoenix. Interian interned in Kinyon’s classroom for 15 weeks, learning the ins and outs of education by way of superior example — The Outlook reports that Interian was impressed with the interest Kinyon takes in his students. “He arrives at 6 a.m. every morning to prepare for the day and week’s lessons,” she told the paper. “The students in his class not only vary in grade and age, but also English language ability as well as readiness. He is instrumental in the lives of his students, who also come from varied backgrounds… Russ believes teaching students responsibility, social skills as well as academic skills is equally important. He is kind yet firm, setting clear boundaries with high expectations.” The respect between teacher and student went both way: though giving up was hard, said Kinyon, Interian was someone he knew he could trust with his students.

Each year, University of Phoenix reviews many eligible mentors for their Mentor of the Year Award. This year there were 40 candidates to choose from, but Interian’s esay on her time spent with Kinyon stood out to Phoenix officials above all the others. “Based on Michele’s exceptionally written essay,” said Robert Hamm, Chairman of Education for the university’s Oregon campus, “the department felt the true impact of Russ Kinyon’s mentorship and believed his dedication to rise above a talented group of mentor teachers.”

In addition to the prestige of the award, University of Phoenix donated a $500 prize to Glenfair Elementary, which the school’s principal says will go towards funding reading, behavior and attendance programs. As for Interian, she has graduated and is now a full-fledged teacher at an elementary school in Park City, Utah. Even now, she thanks Kinyon for the skills she learned to keep herself afloat in a classroom of her own — “If I had not been in Russ’s classroom, I know that I would be feeling very lost right now.”

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