Dylan Taylor, an Anderson University graduate and a T.L. Hanna High School teacher, loves his job teaching and coaching students. He’s also dedicated to ensuring nobody sits on the sidelines when it comes to the game of life.
For this kind of dedication, Taylor was named Anderson District Five Teacher of the Year.
Taylor began his career at T.L. Hanna High School during one of the most challenging periods in modern education. In his first year, he earned the distinction of District Rookie Teacher of the Year. Six years later, his colleagues at T.L. Hanna named him Teacher of the Year. He then went on to be named Anderson District Five Teacher of the Year.
“It’s been a blessing,” Taylor said of representing both the district and his alma mater, Anderson University. Taylor’s honor came with an unexpected perk: the use of a new Toyota 4Runner for a year. While friends and colleagues were impressed by the vehicle, Taylor feels that his real reward is knowing that fellow educators believed in the work he has done for students.
Long before the awards, Taylor knew he wanted to become a teacher because of the influence educators had on his own life. Growing up in Greer, he was inspired by teachers who invested in him and by a football coach who became a mentor during pivotal moments of his youth. Their example showed him the profound impact educators can have far beyond academics.
When Taylor visited Anderson University in 2015, he immediately felt at home. He loved the campus, the atmosphere and the close-knit culture of the university. He applied, was accepted, and never looked back.
Some of his favorite college memories revolve around friendships that remain strong today. He spent all four years on the Anderson University campus living with his cousin, Josh Leisten, and later shared an apartment with TJ Galloway, now a special education teacher and football coach. Taylor also worked in student activities, where his supervisor, Brenna Morris, taught him lessons in professionalism, leadership and respect that continue to shape the way he interacts with students and colleagues.
At Anderson University, Taylor also discovered his passion for coaching. He began coaching football while still a student, working at middle and high schools while juggling coursework and student teaching responsibilities. The long drives between Anderson and Greer during football season were demanding, but they confirmed that education and athletics were the perfect combination for his talents and interests. Perhaps most importantly, Anderson University is also where he met his future wife, making the school an even more meaningful part of his story.
For most of his career at T.L. Hanna, Taylor taught mathematics, helping students navigate the challenges of Algebra I.
“There’s not a better feeling,” he explains, “than seeing a student struggle with a concept and then suddenly have it click.” For Taylor, success has never been measured solely by test scores. Sometimes the victory is helping a student gain enough confidence to ask questions, persevere through challenges and achieve a goal that once seemed out of reach.
After six years teaching math, Taylor transitioned into physical education and now serves as an assistant strength coach while leading T.L. Hanna’s adaptive physical education program. While this may not be a commonly chosen pathway, Taylor sees it as a rewarding teaching opportunity.
His adaptive PE students include young people with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through creative programming and after-school championship events, Taylor has helped create experiences many students never would have otherwise.
During the school’s Kickball Championship, the softball field comes alive with lights, music, a scoreboard and an announcer. Students wear jerseys, hear their names called over the loudspeaker and compete before family, friends and classmates.
For many participants, it is their first opportunity to experience the excitement and recognition often associated with school athletics. Events include cornhole, bowling and T-ball championships, all designed to foster inclusion and celebrate student achievement. General education students serve as mentors, creating friendships and experiences that extend beyond the classroom. One recent kickball championship attracted 123 spectators.
Those moments rank among the most rewarding of Taylor’s career. He strongly believes that every student deserves to feel seen, valued and connected to the larger school community. When adaptive PE students compete alongside their peers and hear cheers from the crowd, Taylor sees barriers disappear and confidence grow.
The same philosophy guides his work on the football field.
While wins and championships are exciting, Taylor says the greater reward is watching young men develop into dependable, respectful and selfless leaders. The lessons learned through athletics, he believes, can shape a student’s character long after the final whistle blows.
Taylor is quick to credit mentors, veteran teachers and colleagues who have invested in him along the way. His advice to future educators is simple: stay humble, surround yourself with experienced people and always keep students at the center of your work.
That mindset may explain why Taylor’s career has been marked by such rapid success. Yet awards alone do not tell the story.
The real measure of his impact can be found in the algebra student who finally believes they can succeed, the football player learning what it means to put others first, or the adaptive PE participant hearing their name announced beneath stadium lights.
For Dylan Taylor, Teacher of the Year is simply another opportunity to do what inspired him all those years ago: show up for students, believe in them and make sure every one of them knows they belong.
