Teacher Focus - Mr. Horton

Mr. Horton started teaching Law Enforcement and Crime Scene Investigation here at Patriot High School in 2019. But before he arrived here, he had served as a police officer for more than 30 years. During these years, Mr. Horton taught recruits at the Police Academy, and that is when he realized he had a passion for teaching. When he retired, he came here to PHS to encourage high school students to consider a career in Law Enforcement. 

Mr. Horton served as a police officer for more than 30 years.

Out of his 30-year career, Mr. Horton stated that what he got out of it the most was gratitude and humility. When I asked him about how his years as a cop have influenced him today, he simply replied with,

 “I don't like talking about myself, I don't do things for credit or to have people notice me. You learn that in a profession like police work because it is a very selfless job.” 

He heavily emphasizes these characteristics in his Law Enforcement class, alongside other traits such as self-awareness and a strong work ethic. His class not only teaches students about Law Enforcement, but it also teaches various character traits that can be applied anywhere in the real world. He teaches the importance of communication skills and confidence, and committing to a life of integrity. Which is exactly what he wants students to gain from his class.

Man About Campus

Mr. Horton is the advisor of 3 clubs here at PHS: The Leadership Club, Travel Club, and Beyblade Club. The Leadership Club is a club that emphasizes student learning. In this club, students can build their leadership skills and learn the value of leadership. Students also have many opportunities to demonstrate these skills through volunteering at different events that the club offers. The Travel Club allows students to see the world in which they live and discover different cultures. This club has an exciting event planned this summer, as they will travel to different countries in Europe: England, Ireland, Scotland, and France. The Beyblade Club, as described by Mr. Horton, is purely for fun. He is also the coach for Girls’ & Boys’ Golf as well as Boys’ Basketball. He expresses that being a coach is an amazing way to impact students outside the classroom. He also shared with me that he remembers all of his coaches from when he was in high school, and he wants to be that type of coach.

Out of the many teachers on this campus, Mr. Horton is the teacher who I have seen connect most positively with students. Mr. Horton often gets letters and emails from students way after they have graduated. 

He states, “It brings a tear to my eye,” whenever he sees his previous students send him letters about their success stories and where they are in life. He shared with me how he builds these positive relationships with students. “…above all, being honest and building trust with them that I have their back, and that I am here to support them in their journey and teach them skills and values that make them successful”.

Looking Ahead

For the upcoming year, Mr. Horton shared some goals. In his classroom, he wishes to continue teaching Law Enforcement and Crime Scene Investigation. He looks forward to meeting new students whom he has never seen before, and wants them to know that they can benefit from his class. As for sports, he wants to recruit more players, and he wants to continue to motivate his players and create an environment that allows them to be successful. 

The last thing that he shared with me was an acronym: 

“It's called GRIT. Grades, Respect, Integrity, and Toughness.” - Mr. Horton

Which he applies to his athletes, however this can also be applied to almost everyone.