St. Landry Parish Teacher of the Year Martel advances to state competition

Pierre Martel, Teacher of the Year at Eunice High and St. Landry Parish High School Teacher of the Year, now advances as one of the finalists at state competition.
According to Martel, “There were 168 submissions from around the state, and I’m in the final 24.”
As some of the requirements for state teacher of the year, Martel will take part in a Skype interview with a committee. He completed a list of questions from past scores and teaching philospy. He also submitted a video of a lesson.
An educator for the past 22 years, Martel teaches U.S. History to juniors, and has taught at Eunice High for the past three years.
Martel, born in June of 1969 in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, moved to Eunice in September 1996. Martel started his teaching career at Central Middle.
“I was in a classroom at Central Middle the very next day at 8 a.m. That is a welcome to Louisiana!”
Martel taught one year in Poland and one year in Canada.
Prior to teaching at Eunice High, Martel taught at Central Middle School for 16 years and at Crowley Middle School for a half year.
Martel had the honor of winning Teacher of the Year, two different years, at Central Middle School.
He serves as assistant baseball coach at Eunice High, as well as a member of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports committee.
Martel, pleased with honors of Teacher of the Year and Parish Teacher of the Year, says, “Teaching is what I enjoy doing the most in the world. It is not only my vocation, but also my passion. I aim to make my students smarter and more knowledgeable about the world, past and present. I try to overwhelm them with enthusiasm. I also aim straight for their heart, because it is only when you get the students to care will you be able to infuse their brain with knowledge.”
Martel is the father of Brandon Martel, a junior at Eunice High, and stepfather to Meghan LeGendre of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
When not at school, Martel enjoys spending time with his son, reading and occasionally playing golf, but as he says, “very poorly.”