Tuesday morning, adaptive PE teacher and head baseball coach Brad Stoll walked into a gym full of students, faculty and family ready to celebrate him. Stoll was honored with the Special Award for Excellence in Teaching, also known as the Bobs Award.
The award is given to one teacher in the district each year who is recognized by the Lawrence Schools Foundation for their lasting influence in education.
“It’s a celebration of fantastic educators who have impacted thousands of students throughout the whole community,” associate principal Mark Preut said.
Stoll has been a part of the Lawrence High community for over 30 years. He’s dedicated himself to the LHS special education program, and has led the way in promoting inclusion for all the student athletes he serves.
IPS teacher Susan Mička, 2021 recipient of the Bobs award, observed his impact beyond the gym and the baseball field.
“He volunteers to co-teach our class every Friday and brings in all of the team building aspects that we have in IPS,” Mička said. “His energy is unending and his dedication to inclusion is unending.”
When head principal Quentin Rials was a student at LHS, Stoll was an assistant basketball coach. Rials said his impact has only grown since then.
“When I came back to work here in 2018, one of the first people I saw was Brad Stoll and everything I see about him epitomizes what it means to be a great Chesty Lion,” Rials said.
To his students, Stoll’s longtime mentorship has left a lasting impression.
“He has impacted me so much,” senior Tyson Grammar said.“Throughout high school he has helped me in baseball but has also impacted my future.”
For Grammer, Stoll’s career is an inspiration. Grammer has plans to attend Baker University to study education and work with the special needs community. “He talks to me a lot about it and informs me how to be successful,” Grammer said.
Stoll’s student athletes were happy to see him celebrated. For sophomore Richie Outcalt, known by Stoll as “Richie Rich,” his recognition was exciting news. Outcalt was one of the many students eager to help surprise Stoll with the news.
“I congratulate him because he’s actually my favorite,” Outcalt said. “That’s why I plunged with him in the Polar Plunge.”
His son, LHS graduate Jack Stoll, attended the ceremony via Facetime. Stoll’s wife and younger son, senior Sammy Stoll, accompanied him up front.
“He just loves this high school so much,” Sammy Stoll said. “Treating people how you want to be treated is something my dad not only teaches but also truly lives by…it’s really awesome to see the recognition he is getting right now.”
Bryndal Hoover and Arabella Gipp contributed to this report.
