GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) – Neil Syrek is all-in on GRPS. He has been a teacher at CA Frost Environmental Science Middle High School since it opened in 2015. He also coaches the Union Redhawks 3rd and 4th-grade football team. His wife is a substitute teacher at CA Frost Elementary, and their three children are all scholars at CA Frost.
“For us, it’s truly a family affair, and we’re so grateful to be part of such an amazing GRPS community,” Syrek said. “I absolutely love my Frost Family. The students, staff, building leadership, and families are all incredible! Frost isn’t just a place I go to work, it’s home for me.”
Syrek’s journey as a GRPS educator began while he was in college.
“I was lucky to be placed in a GRPS school as a student teacher,” Syrek explained. “I had such an awesome experience that I knew I wanted to continue my career here. More than 20 years later, I’ve never once regretted that decision.”
Whether in the classroom or on the gridiron, he remains focused on preparing scholars for the future.
“The most meaningful impact comes from helping my students and athletes grow as people,” he said. “I want them to develop persistence, resilience, integrity, authenticity, and self-reflection, along with the groundedness, compassion, gratitude, and self-love that will allow them to live with purpose and kindness.
His commitment to shaping young people extends beyond academics and athletics. Syrek approaches every interaction with intention, emphasizing the character development he believes will guide scholars long after they leave his classroom or the field.
“My ultimate hope is that, through teaching and coaching, I can help make the world a little more thoughtful, empathetic, and equitable, one person and one interaction at a time.”
