February 2025
By Isaiah Washington, Staff Reporter
Tenth grade History teacher Timothy Forsyth is only in his second year of teaching. But before he came to KAC he faced a very different challenge: protecting our country.
Forsyth’s previous career was working in the army as an infantry soldier. Infantry soldiers are ground troops who engage in close combat with the enemy forces. His job was to capture, destroy, deter enemy forces, assist in reconnaissance, and help mobilize other troops and weaponry.
No matter the weather or the terrain the soldiers would get the job done. Forsyth was sent to Afghanistan in the Kunar Province where there was constant conflict. Even though his army career was tough, he says that he wouldn’t change a thing. “As in all jobs, there are going to be things people don’t like, but the friends I made and the relationships I built truthfully mean the world to me,” Forsyth said.
Forsyth recommended a documentary about the war in Afghanistan, No Greater Love, as a way students can learn about the trials and tribulations soldiers go through, along with the bond soldiers develop with one another and the trials and tribulations they go through.
Obviously, Forsyth left the Army in order to teach. When I asked him why, he said, “I decided to leave the army after I had a career ending injury that was getting worse and worse. I had broken or fractured my ankle my first year in and toughed it out arrogantly, when I was leading soldiers as a team leader and Vehicle commander (E-5 position) at my second duty station it just kept getting worse until I got X-Rays and MRIs. It showed post-traumatic bone injury. I even had arthroscopic surgery that didn’t fix it. I was offered to do something else less physical, but I loved the Infantry and didn’t see myself doing anything else in the Army, so I decided to take my med board.
Forsyth advises, “I tell anyone that if something is wrong mentally or physically to get it treated sooner than later. Things just progressively get worse if we tough things out and it is okay to ask for and get help.”
Mr. Forsyth’s first year teaching was in 2023. I asked him how his first year of teaching was. He responded, “I didn’t do a lot of things right, but I kept at it like with anything in life and I got better and still am.”
He is still new to teaching since this is only his second year. When asked why he chose to become a teacher he stated, “Honestly, multiple things in life lead me to teaching. Originally, in my first year of college before the Army I honestly wanted to coach tackle football. However, after I enlisted in the Army and was able to train young soldiers and see them succeed and shine, I wanted to help people that way. So you could say my first years of teaching were technically in the Army when I was in a leadership position.”
Forsyth said that even though teaching is different, he likes what he does. And he has praise for his coworkers at KAC. “I have so many amazing and knowledgeable colleagues,” he said, “who work their hardest every day to help students succeed in life who I wouldn’t trade–every single one of them, past and present.”
He said he chose to teach history because of “my love for history and the importance it has on people’s lives.”
“It is truly the story of the world,” he said, “and like any good story It has its ups and downs, evil and good, right and wrong, and emotional toll.” Forsyth said he wants to make a difference in high-schoolers’ lives, and he plans to continue teaching high school.
Forsyth played football from sixth to 12th grade and has recently picked it back up. When asked if he has any talents, answered, “Remembering things historically from time to time, college level reading in the 3rd grade, also being absolutely hilarious. Or at least I laugh at myself all the time which is all that matters!”
He described his personality as, “Truthfully caring. I have trouble showing it at times for people but it’s why I yell in the halls. I’d rather people smile and be happy than not. I’m so happy to have all my students this and last year and so proud of y’all when you accomplish stuff.”
Forsyth has had a big impact on his students. “I think he’s a good teacher who wants to teach students about history and such,” said 10th-grader Ismael Pesina.
11th-grader Jonathan Cruz also described Forsyth as a nice person. “Once I got to know Mr. Forsyth as a teacher,” Cruz said, “he’s always trying to motivate students to try hard in school and actually cares for students’ education.”
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