KEVIN DUA
Published in the April 16, 2018 edition.
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
BOSTON — Kevin Dua has worked too hard to let a little rain put a damper on this day.
The Wakefield resident and current history teacher at Cambridge Rindge and Latin ran the 2018 Boston Marathon today as a member of the All-Teacher Hyland’s team, the official cramp relief sponsor of the Boston Marathon.
Dua was one of 16 teachers selected to the Hyland’s team out of 1,600 applicants. He is the only representative from the state of Massachusetts.
“It’s been an honor to have this opportunity to represent the school, the students and the state,” said Dua. “I’ve been inspired by my students, colleagues, teammates and my wife Rebekah.”
Dua was the first African American to win the Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year award, which he was presented with last year. It is earned by teachers with excellent classroom initiatives, something that the Hyland’s team really values when selecting its Boston Marathon runners.
What Kevin Dua values as an educator and an athlete, is what makes him the best candidate to represent Wakefield and Massachusetts today.
“As a teacher and runner I value the little things that a community can provide from family, friends and students,” said Dua, who sees many similarities in teaching and running. “The energy and commitment is the same. They also parallel each other in being able to rely on support from students.”
Dua is quick to credit the support from Rebekah and their dog Finney, who have helped him train for his second Boston Marathon, often running along Lake Q like so many other Wakefield runners. Dua ran his first Boston Marathon in 2012, and was awarded the 2018 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award from the Wakefield Human Right Commission which played a role in allowing Dua to run the big race again to honor his students and highlight the representation of African American male educators.
Once done talking about his family, it is the students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin that inspire him to continue to find creative ways to engage his classroom, empower their thirst for knowledge and provide them opportunities in the community.
In Dua’s Hyland’s spotlight video, which can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtOFmNDUVJ0 he talks about what makes his classroom unique.
“I’ve been very fortunate in being able to connect with my students on projects and activities that aren’t typical for a classroom…My classroom is a cafeteria, my classroom is a therapy session, it’s a debate hall. What I try to instill in all of my students is the sense that something small, something simple can be great.”
For Dua, running and history goes hand-in-hand, as does opportunity and equality. He recognizes that as an African American, there existed a time where he couldn’t jog freely, let alone participate in competitive races.
“Just being able to embrace that opportunity and teach why opportunity and equality is important; it introduces how to study and explore that, so that empathy can be taught and empathy can be learned.”
Dua recognizes that “teaching is most powerful when students can apply what they learn outside of school,” which is why he stresses that education means so much more when applying it to better the community. So whether he is working with the CRLS Black Student Union, or encouraging his specific passions like recruiting more teachers of color, Kevin Dua is the perfect example for his students to look at and see someone who is making his community better and not just in the classroom.
“I truly enjoy what I do in regards to being a teacher. Being able to connect with individuals and instill a sense of empathy and sympathy and being able to motivate these students to make a difference is why I love what I do.”
