Award-Winning Lander Alumnus Begins Second Year as Teacher, Coach

When Andrew Goforth walks into his classroom this fall, he will do so with an impressive honor on his growing resume. The 2025 Lander University graduate was named Greenwood School District 50's First-Year Teacher of the Year in the spring, an award that recognizes the impact he made to the teaching profession during his first year.

As he prepares for his second year of teaching, coaching soccer and football and mentoring students at Greenwood High School (GHS), Goforth is already proving that the career he chose years ago was exactly the right fit.

That journey began when he was just 14 years old. Following a come-from-behind victory in a highly competitive high school football game, Goforth experienced a moment of clarity that would shape his future. As cheers roared from the stands, Goforth realized that the opportunity to help young people could be in his future and that teaching and coaching were more than careers – they were a calling.

Today, that decision has come full circle as he is making a difference in the lives of GHS students and athletes.

From One Classroom to Another

As part of his academic experience at Lander, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history, with a concentration in secondary education, and a bachelor’s degree in English, Goforth underwent an internship in a public school to gain hands-on teaching experience. The internship, which awards a stipend to students, is a highly sought-after opportunity for Lander education majors.

“Making the transition from college student to working professional was pretty seamless because of the internship that I had,” he said. “It probably took a couple of days to adjust to the routine, but it was exciting, too.”

In addition to the classroom responsibilities, Goforth is the wide receiver coach for the junior varsity football team and head soccer coach for the junior varsity boys’ team.

With the return of students in District 50, the second year will feel more normal and routine, he said, even though the days will be long with his teaching and coaching responsibilities. “My day will begin around 7:45 a.m. and continue into the late afternoon and evening, depending on practices and games,” he said, noting that football game nights can end around 10:30 or 11:30 p.m.

He takes long days in stride, grateful for a career that is personally rewarding. “When you love what you’re doing, you don’t really think about the hours.”

Lessons from Year One

Discovering what students know and what they need to learn was a lesson, too, for Goforth. He used the example of a JROTC student who needed to leave class for a flag retirement ceremony. When another student questioned why the cadet was allowed to leave, Goforth found himself explaining the significance why U.S. flags must be retired in a dignified way.

“Many of the students did not know this. They didn’t realize that when a flag becomes faded or worn, that it must be disposed with respect,” he said. “On the flip side, there are a lot of things they know that I don’t know. All of us are learning together.”

An unexpected reward came just after the first semester began in January. “Some of my former students wanted to give me fist bumps when they saw me,” he said.

From his role as a coach, Goforth was pleased that the football team had a successful football season by making it to the playoff games for the state championship. The soccer team, too, “had a better season than expected,” he said, noting that the team beat key rivals which positioned them for playoff games.

“Now we have new seasons ahead of us, and I’m eager for the games to start,” he said. “As a teacher and a coach, I feel more confident.”

He described the Greenwood District 50 First-Year teaching award “as a confidence boost.”

The honor “caught me off-guard,” Goforth said. “Any of the first-year teachers were worthy of this honor. I had placed myself at the bottom of the list, so this was completely unexpected.”

Putting Preparations in Place for Success

Goforth credits his college education at Lander for the foundation to succeed as a teacher.

“Lander prepared me for my career in a variety of ways,” he said. “I believe that the ability to form relationships with people is the key to success in any profession. In Lander's case, my professors did an incredible job providing examples of how to form relationships.

“While I was at Lander, every single professor that I had knew me by name. As a teacher and coach now, I have been able to draw on the examples set by my many Lander professors as I try to form relationships with my students and players, fellow teachers and coaches, and school and district administration,” he said.

He also honed the time management skills he uses now while at Lander. “One thing I try to do for time management is to identify something that I can enjoy about everything that I do,” he said. “That way, the time management piece seems to work itself out because I am constantly looking for ways to make the thing that I want to do fit into my schedule.”

For high school and college students embarking on a new academic year or school, Goforth has some advice. “Try to find ways to enjoy whatever you do. If you can convince yourself that you enjoy what you do, your schedule will work itself out to make room for it,” he said.

As for his own thoughts on the new academic year at GHS, “I’m really excited about meeting my next group of students and giving out those fist bumps on the first day of class,” he said.