Demetrius Ball, Social Studies Teacher, Howard High School

May 5th, 2016

Howard High School Social Studies teacher Demetrius Ball has immersed himself in school leadership roles since joining the staff in fall 2012. Ball, a West Point educated army veteran, brings a unique perspective to his U.S. History and Leadership classes.

Even though Ball knew from an early age, while growing up in Findlay, Ohio, that he wanted to go into education, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to first attend West Point. There he majored in human and regional geography, making him more conscientious about cultural differences, which has proven useful in the army and now in the classroom. Ball said his military background, with tours in Iraq and Kuwait, impacted his teaching because he “learned how to work with, teach and lead different folks from different backgrounds. It made me comfortable in a variety of situations and environments. Since I teach Social Studies, I can share these experiences with my students.”

When his wife’s job brought them from California to Maryland, they decided to move to Columbia for the educational opportunities for their young family. “Howard County schools’ reputation precedes itself,” Ball said. Ball worked as a long-term substitute in Baltimore City his first year in Maryland before joining Howard High School.

“I really enjoy Howard,” Ball said. “The students and staff are amazing. There’s support to try things in the classroom. I can see myself here a long time. It’s been a great opportunity for growth.” One of his biggest administrative opportunities has been his Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (PBIS) team co-coordinator role, in which he oversees the maximization of academic and social behavior outcomes through the school’s rewards and discipline systems. He has also served as a substitute administrator at Howard.

One of Ball’s favorite aspects of Howard, and the HCPSS, is that it encourages students to challenge themselves as leaders. Ball said that as a student, “without teachers encouraging me, I wouldn’t have taken leadership roles.” As such, the Leadership class he now teaches perfectly aligns with his focus on encouraging the next generation to create legacies of helping others. He also mentors African-American males as Howard’s Alpha Achievers advisor and through his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, Tau Pi Chapter of Howard County. Ball, who played football in college, has also coached football and track at Howard.

Ball’s passion for education has led him to regularly connect with educators online and in person. He often attends professional learning sessions, such as through the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) or Edcamp. He then frequently presents what he’s learned at Howard staff meetings, especially on integrating technology into the classroom. His interest in others led him to start a podcast series profiling Howard teachers, and his tendency to reflect on the big picture lends him to blog on educational thought leadership topics. He also actively communicates with educators on Twitter and Voxer, a Walkie Talkie app for team communication.

Jon Hollander, Howard Social Studies instructional team leader, described Ball as “up for any challenge. Everyone knows Mr. Ball, and he’s always got a smile. He really brings a positive energy to the entire school. And I see that in the classroom, always positive, challenging his students by the way he opens up discussions in the classroom, getting students to think of both sides of the story or conflict, whether it’s something in the news or historical.”

Ball summed up his view on teaching with, “There’s a saying, ‘Make your vocation your vacation.’ That’s the approach I’ve tried to take. It’s not a burden. I enjoy my students. I enjoy interacting with parents. I enjoy learning and sharing my learning with others.”

Ball continues to pursue professional learning opportunities to grow as a teacher, and one day, as a principal. He’s currently working toward national board certification, thanks to the support of HCPSS, and has completed a master’s in secondary education from University of Phoenix and an administration certification from Coppin State University. Ball said, “I want to have a bigger impact, reach more kids, more families. It goes back to the army. I’m always thinking big picture, having to be aware of much more than what’s immediately in front of me, having a plan for what’s coming in the future and adjusting to that.”