A historical dating game where students represented prominent figures from United States history and interacted with each other to see which ones would most likely get along is just one of many ways Rome High School teacher Seth Winstead helps bring history to life for his students.
Winstead’s ability to do that and really interact and help his students learn is one of the many reasons STAR Student Karly Nguyen selected him as her STAR Teacher.
During Rome High's recent ceremony where they unveiled the STAR Student and Teacher along with the Valedictorian and Salutatorian for the Class of 2025, all three students mentioned Winstead as a big influence on them.
“Being named STAR Teacher is really the greatest honor I can imagine. I could talk all day long about my students. So to have one of them single me out is amazing. I get goosebumps when I think about it. It's just an incredible honor,” he said.
When asked what it meant to have all three students mention him as one of their favorite teachers, those goosebumps probably got a bit bigger.
“It means a lot. It really does blow me away. I talk all day and I'm usually good at faking being good with words, but this really leaves me speechless. It really means a lot to me,” he said.
Winstead has been teaching for 14 years. A graduate of Toccoa Falls College, Winstead came to Rome High School in 2019 as a part of the social studies department.
Winstead currently teaches AP U.S. History and AP Comparative Government and has taught a wide range of social studies courses. He and his wife, Julie, and their four sons returned to Rome in 2019.
When asked about the historical dating game, Winstead smiles and that’s when the history teacher takes over.
“I think the goal is to create a deeper understanding of history. We don't have to relive it. But if we can empathize with historical figures and learn to interact with the past, I think it helps us to be able to interact with one another more with our current situations,” he said. “So it's really just anything to make learning come alive and hopefully to encourage students to become lifelong learners.”