When Steve Boyd started his teaching career in Martinez, he intended to spend a couple of years getting classroom and coaching experience before returning to his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina to continue his career.
“Forty-seven years later, I haven’t yet,” said Boyd, who’s retiring from Augusta Preparatory Day School at the end of the school year.
A reception will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at the teardrop on campus. A program will be at 5 p.m., and some of Boyd’s favorite treats – hot dogs and banana ice pops – will be served after.
Boyd always knew he wanted to be a teacher and coach. A professor at Davidson College, where Boyd attended suggested getting a math degree because there would be a demand for math teachers, but Boyd’s heart was in history which made getting a job in 1978 difficult.
He thought he had one lined up at a private school in Virginia, but the position didn’t open up. The headmaster at that school was the former head of Augusta Preparatory School as it was known then. That connection led to Boyd coming to the Augusta area at a school willing to take a chance on a young teacher.
The school was seventh through 12th grades then; it hadn’t yet merged with Augusta Country Day School.
Over the years, Boyd has taught a variety of classes from geography that first year to an Advanced Placement African American History class he developed. He’s taught AP U.S. history and AP world history and government.
Boyd has sought non-traditional ways to engage his students, like dressing up as Napoleon Bonaparte a time or two and having students create their own documentaries highlighting local history instead of taking a final exam.
Outside the classroom, he coached basketball, soccer, track and golf and served as the school’s athletic director from 1987 to 1997. He oversaw Augusta Prep’s switch from the Georgia High School Association to the Georgia Independent School Association, according to Augusta Prep’s website.
“As varsity boys basketball head coach, he led the Cavaliers to their first winning season (1983-84); first region and first state tournament victories and first Final Four appearance (1998-99). As associate head coach (along with head coach Mike Guthrie), Steve helped lead Augusta Prep to a state runner-up finish in 2014. In 2004, Steve served as the varsity girls’ basketball associate coach and helped guide Prep to its first-ever Elite Eight finish,” the website said.
In 2008, the school named its athletic hall of fame in Boyd’s honor.
There were a few times Boyd considered leaving over the years, but he ultimately couldn’t leave. The relationships he formed with students and faculty cemented his decision.
“I could make more of an impact at Augusta Prep because it’s a small school,” he said.
A few students made lasting impressions.
He recalled Scott Olliff, a soccer standout who died at 16 in 1981 after a car accident. Boyd was teaching Scott’s sister Lisa at the time and was there to support the family. Another student who helped him realize the difference he was making was Douglas Nesbit, who in 1987 became not only Augusta Prep’s STAR Student, but Columbia County’s STAR student and named Boyd as his STAR teacher.
Although he’s retiring, Boyd doesn’t plan to go far.
In addition to his teaching duties, he’s served as the school’s archivist, but with his class load, he hasn’t had as much time to devote to it as he’d like.
Next school year, he’s looking forward to creating exhibits on legacy families and cataloguing the information he’s collected. He also has some interesting memorabilia such as the football from the first touchdown scored at the school and the first football uniforms.
He plans to continue to teach his AP African American history class and hopes to teach European history at least for another year.
“I could’ve retired at 65. I turned 70 in March. I enjoy coming to school,” he said.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s a Georgia Press Association winner and the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
