Sam Clark will teach English at the Upper School and assist with crew and lacrosse.
This will be Clark’s first teaching job, though he brings much experience with him from coaching various sports, to counseling and directing at camps, to assisting with drama programs and participating in many forms of journalism.
His philosophy in teaching is to encourage students to think and learn how to express their thoughts.
“Not every student will end up being an English major or a poet, but the reading comprehension and writing skills I teach will help them in life no matter what career they pursue,” Clark said. “I’m excited to delve into my first literary conversation with my students in class. It will be interesting to see new perspectives on books that I’ve read multiple times or that I am discovering for the first time.”
Clark holds a B.A. in English and a minor in history from Rhodes College, where he was a student associate and electronic content coordinator in the Communication Office. For the last four years, he has worked with Western Reserve Summer Programs as an assistant director, teacher, and interim director of the English Language Institute. As an instructor in the Young Scholars Program, he taught creative writing and documentary filmmaking to gifted middle school students.
“I am very excited to welcome Sam to the faculty,” said Matt Peer, Darlington's director of Upper School. “His experience as a day student at a boarding school will serve him well in the classroom, on the river and on the lacrosse field.”
As he begins his teaching career, Clark is excited to share his experiences with his two sisters, who are also teachers.
“My twin, Molly, will be teaching Latin at Montgomery Academy, and my older sister, Emily, has been teaching English at King’s Academy in Jordan,” he said.
Outside of education, Clark enjoys sports and supporting the teams of his hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. He also enjoys discovering new restaurants and spending time outdoors, and looks forward to finding new places to hike on the trails around Rome.
Editor’s Note: This article was written by Natalie Horah (‘19), who is serving as an intern in the Communication Office this summer.
