Bryan Kerns created a program to address the state’s firefighter shortage, on the road to winning Teacher of the Year

Dobyns-Bennett High School students and Bryan Kerns (left) taking part in the school's fire program (Photo by Dobyns-Bennett High School)

Noting the need for more firefighters across the country to combat wildfires, longtime Kingsport City Schools educator Bryan Kerns established a unique career and technical education (CTE) program at Dobyns-Bennett High School, geared toward preparing students for future careers in fire management.

Bryan Kerns (Photo from Kingsport City Schools)

Kerns, who won the Tennessee Department of Education’s 2024-25 Tennessee Teacher of the Year Award this week in part because of his work leading the Dobyns-Bennett High School Fire Program, said he set out to develop the program after noticing the interest his math students had in his background as a firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service. The program has helped train over 30 young men and women for careers in fire and emergency services, according to a recent news release from the Tennessee Department of Education.

While most of his 18 years as an educator with the district has focused on teaching math courses, Kerns said his main focus now is helping to train the next generation of firefighters and wildfire management professionals amid growing interest in the program.

“In the 2018-19 school year, I started a club after school a couple of Mondays a month, and I just said, ‘I’m going to tell stories and get kids together, show cool YouTube videos and maybe get them an online certification or something,’” he told Tennessee Firefly. “And long story short, that club grew into a class, and now I’m to the point where I mostly teach fire classes. I had over 400 students sign up for a fire class this school year. It went from a club to a big vibrant fire program.”

Students participating in the Dobyns-Bennett High School Fire Program

Kerns, who also serves as the President-elect of the Bays Mountain Park Association Board, said he believes he won the award due to how unique the program is, as well as his approach to teaching students. He said the program prepares students for careers in fire management through activities such as conducting controlled burns and fire effects monitoring.

Kerns said his main goal in establishing and leading the program has been to help students find a rewarding career path that helps others.

“There’s no question that it’s all about loving kids where they are. They need purpose, they need inspiration, they need hope. I tried to do that in my math classes and was pretty successful at that, working with the ‘down and out,’” he said. “Now [with this program], I can say, ‘Hey, we can get you a job and a meaningful, honorable career.’”

Students participating in the Dobyns-Bennett High School Fire Program (Photo by Dobyns-Bennett High School)

According to a news release from the Tennessee Department of Education, Kerns will represent Tennessee in the upcoming National Teacher of the Year competition and serve as an ambassador for education throughout the state for the 2024-25 school year. He follows the 2023-24 Tennessee Teacher of the Year and 2024 National Teacher of the Year, Missy Testerman, an ESL teacher at Rogersville Elementary School in Rogersville City School.

“I commend his commitment to moving our state forward by helping to create an educational system that ensures that all Tennessee students succeed and are prepared for postsecondary education and the workforce. On behalf of all Tennessee educators, I offer my best wishes to Mr. Kerns for a fulfilling year of service as the 2024-25 Tennessee Teacher of the Year,” Testerman said in a statement.

Kerns said winning the state award was a pleasant surprise, but feels he has a good chance at winning the national award due to the program’s rapid growth since COVID-19 and the fact that there are very few similar programs for students across the U.S. to help fill the crucial need for firefighters across the country.

“The first official class curriculum-wise was in the spring of 2020, and since then, it’s continued to grow,” he said. “As far as [teachers leading] unique programs and programs that give kids real and tangible skills, I think I have a great chance nationally.”

Moving forward beyond the award, Kerns said he would like to help other schools establish similar CTE programs.

“The US Forest Service talks to me a lot about how we can replicate what we’re doing, either regionally in the southeast or nationwide. There’s always talk of that because that industry is scrambling for folks,” he said. “We have a shortage. We need to figure that out, especially as wildfires in the west and east continue to get bigger. … So yeah, I’d love to expand it.”