Buies Creek, N.C.—High school history teacher Dustin Paul Baker received the Distinguished History Alumnus Award from Campbell University’s department of Government History and Justice at Homecoming festivities on Saturday Nov. 1. Baker is a teacher at Franklin Academy High School in Wake Forest, N.C.
Graduating magna cum laude from Campbell in 1997, Baker has enjoyed a distinguished teaching career. He has been an instructor of students in U.S. and world history, civics and economics, from middle grades through high school with the exception of 9th grade.
Baker began his career at Hugh M. Cummings High School in Burlington in 1997 and transferred to Friendship Christian School in Raleigh in 1999, where he taught grades 6-12 and served as the middle school baseball coach and basketball athletic assistant. Baker came to Franklin Academy Charter High School in 2003, where, in addition to his teaching duties, he performed a number of other responsibilities. These included serving as baseball coach, athletic director and assistant athletic director.
Baker’s teaching experience has not always been in the classroom or on the athletic field, however. He served on the National Honor Society Selection and Leadership committees at Franklin Academy and established the Franklin Academy Chapter of Future Educators of America. In addition, he assisted the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction with the development of field tests for Civics and Economics and U.S. History End of Course tests.
While still an undergraduate at Campbell, Baker was the recipient of the Conard Gass Distinguished Student of History Award and was perpetually named to the dean’s and president’s list.
“I benefited greatly from the instruction at Campbell,” Baker said. “The professors invested a lot of time in me, and I have been able to take this knowledge and experience to my job. I felt I was extremely well prepared.”
Photo Copy: Dustin Baker was named Distinguished History Alumnus at Campbell University. He is pictured with Suzanne Matthews who received the Distinguished Government Alumna Award. (Photo by Bennett Scarborough)
Bulletin: 0046
Date: 11/05/08