Brad Marcy ’09, M.S. ’17, has a unique approach to teaching his students about history at Le Roy High School. Through his SEAR model, Marcy’s lessons employ learning that can be situational, experiential, authentic, and reflective. Marcy joins Redbird Buzz to share how this hands-on approach stemmed from his experiences as an Illinois State University alum and veteran.

During this episode, Marcy recounts what he learned from his own academic struggles in high school, describes his military service, and details how both his family and his time in the Army National Guard led him to pursue a career in education.

Marcy, the College of Education’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, leads his students in hands-on projects that explore the significance of veterans throughout the country and locally in Le Roy. His classes participate in The Good Cemeterian Project, cleaning the headstones of military veterans, while also researching those individuals, their lives, and their families.

Redbird Buzz is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Transcripts of each episode are available online at Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/Podcast.