Greg Kester is a Potosi High School Teacher who has been teaching at Potosi since 1995. He is the PHS social studies department chair and teaches dual credit classes including Psychology, Sociology, American Political Systems, American History, and Intro to Teaching. Many of his students have said his classes are some of the most challenging and engaging classes they have ever had but none say a bad word about his class. 

Mr. Kester is one of the first high school social studies to be chosen for Missouri Teacher of the Year. “Relationships are my greatest accomplishments as an educator. I would gladly give back all of the accolades and awards I have won if I had to choose between them or the connection I have with my present and former students,” said Mr. Kester. 

Potosi High School senior Aubrey Lynch said,  “Kester connects with his students and makes them feel important. He never treats someone better than others and he makes the classroom feel like a community. He is always checking in on you and making sure you’re okay.”

Gracie Lawson another Potosi High School student said, “Kester makes me learn something new everyday and he always keeps me entertained like he makes funny camel noises or he teaches us his golf swing.”

Mr. Kester went to Cape Central High School and went to SEMO to become a teacher. He started teaching in 1995 at Potosi High School and has not left since. Mr. Kester said the greatest reward of teaching is “being with the students, being a teacher means everything to me and what impresses me most with the students is watching them overcoming their obstacles. Watching them leave is the hardest part.” 

Mr. Kester said he wakes up on a normal day at 4:45 and gets to the high school around 6:30 for meetings and to catch up on work. He teaches and then he does his after school activities including Academic Team, the Voice of Democracy Essay contest, and much more. After a long day, he goes home to grade assignments and tests. He said that it is a busy schedule but he is not bothered by it much.  As long as he is not sitting down too long, he knows he will be okay.

Mr. Kester is going to Washington D.C in April with all the teachers of the year in the other states. He said that he will be honored at the White House and said he would like to meet, President Joe Biden but he mostly wants to go to the Chiefs game to meet Taylor Swift and teach her a dance move.