Rex Hafer - 2023 Lillian B. Jarvis Teacher of the Year

Rex Hafer, a Kalamazoo Central High School teacher, has been selected as the Lillian B. Jarvis Teacher of the Year by the American Lawyers Alliance. The American Lawyers Alliance is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote understanding and appreciation of the law and the American legal system. The family of Lillian B. Jarvis established this award to honor teachers of law-related programs in Title I schools. Mr. Hafer was selected by a panel of judges for his numerous challenging and educational programs related to law and government.

Through his eighteen years of teaching social studies at Kalamazoo High School, Mr. Hafer created the AP Comparative Government and Politics Program as well as a Constitutional Law class. He has developed interesting and original ways to engage his students in the law. He challenges them by exposing them to real Supreme Court cases, research projects through Human Rights Watch, and community awareness. He is a 13-time recipient of the “Significant Educator Award.”

Mr. Hafer is also the National Honor Society adviser at the school. In 2018, five of Mr. Hafer’s students created Kalamazoo Students for Gun Legislation which continues to set up community events with groups such as Moms Demand Action and participation in rallies at the state capitol.

As Ms. Heather Reid, Kalamazoo Education Association President wrote: “Mr. Hafer is an exceptional civic educator who strives each day to bring the outside world of government, law and politics inside the classroom in ways that excite students to become engaged citizens.”