Jan 22, 2025
GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Gahanna teacher named the best in Ohio in 2024 has had all kinds of new experiences this past year and it was capped with a trip to Atlanta to see Ohio State win college football's national champhionship. Mark Lowrie, Ohio's 2024 Teacher of the Year, was in the stadium as the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 34-23. “It was the thrill of a lifetime. Before I retire, I will have taught for 30 years, and there will never be another year like 2024 to 2025 with the Buckeyes winning the title to end it. What gets better than that, it's a storybook," he said. Lowrie teaches broadcast journalism at Gahanna Lincoln High School. “My students are the reason I was honored. Sure, I work hard and I have the background, but my students from my whole career have worked their tails off," he said.  As teacher of the year, he said he's done his best to represent teachers from his district and around the state. As part of the experience, he's spoken at conferences, talked with Gov. Mike DeWine, and gone to the White House. To finish it off, the College Football Playoff Foundation brought all of the country's teachers of the year to the title game. Where you can see Ohio State’s national championship trophy “I’m on the 10-yard line in the stadium just looking around and trying to take it all in, and the chills I had from the moment we walked out to the moment we walked off," Lowrie said. From early on in his teacher of the year experience, he knew he'd have the opportunity to go to the game. He'd always hoped it would mean he would get to see the Buckeyes win it, and he did. “It was just extra special. Had Texas won the semifinal and I had been down there for Texas-Notre Dame, I would have been honored and excited and overwhelmed with the event, but c'mon, when it was the Buckeyes, I don't know if I'll ever understand how I got to be there and do that," Lowrie said. Lowrie was not the only Ohio State fan among the teachers of the year. He said he was joined by Beth Barkley, the Teacher of the Year for Washington D.C. who is originally from Upper Arlington, and Michael Houston, Minnesota's teacher of the year who went to Northland High School in Columbus. "The three of us just were going crazy, they were so excited, had all their gear on all week. I think the rest of the cohort got tired of the three of us because we were just chirping all week," Lowrie said. "Three of the 56 are either from here or live here now, that made it extra special." While in Atlanta, Lowrie also participated in a competition during fan fest. He threw a football into a target and won $1,000 for the broadcast program at Gahanna Lincoln.  "It's hard to put into words what the last year has been like, it’s surreal. I get chills just saying its surreal," he said. 
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