Simon Youth Foundation teacher is his region's Education Hero

The website Dictionary.com defines a hero as a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for noble deeds.

Given the distinguished abilities that they display everyday in their noble work with at-risk youth, Simon Youth Foundation thinks that all of our Simon Youth Academy teachers are heroes.

Bedard's photo from the
breakfast program

This notion has been seconded by the American Red Cross Chapter of Northeast Massachusetts, which honored Seith Bedard, the administrator at our Simon Youth Peabody Learning Academy, as its 2012 Red Cross Education Hero at its 10th Annual Community Heroes Breakfast on March 15.

In its Heroes Breakfast program, the Red Cross had this to say about Bedard and his work with the students at his Simon Youth Academy:

“Colleagues are quick to point out that Seith is much more than a school administrator, frequently doubling as guidance counselor, therapist, nurse, bus driver, and substitute teacher when the need arises.

One co-worker, Raina Siladi, observes that Seith provides the school's students with ‘a personal level of support that I suspect many of them have not experienced until now.’

In many cases, that support involves him putting in extra time at the mall, giving students after school pep talks, maintaining an off-hours place where they can study, and meeting frequently with parents to discuss student progress. He also demands a lot from his students. He not only makes sure that they attend class regularly and abide by all school rules but encourages them to do community service on their own time. Today, many of his students have become volunteers for Haven from Hunger and Habitat for Humanity. 

Seith also spends a great deal of effort out in the community, securing financial aid from private source and establishing contacts at local colleges.

Sarah Murray, one of the teachers at the Academy, perhaps sums up Seith's accomplishments best, pointing out that ‘the students who graduate from our program go on to become students and workers in our community and are able to contribute because of the second chance that Mr. Bedard’s efforts have provided them.’”

2012 Community Heroes Breakfast program

Red Cross Chapter of Eastern Massachusetts

Congratulations to Seith Bedard, who does so much to ignite hope in deserving young people, and to all of our Simon Youth Academy teachers – you are all heroes for the work you do!

The Simon Youth Peabody Learning Academy operates in partnership between SYF and the Peabody Public Schools.