During his freshman year of high school, Braxton O’Hearn already knew he wanted to be a teacher.

“I did not like high school when I was there,” he recalls. “I hated the systematic nature of it. The barrage of disjointed content felt overwhelming to me. I felt like I could do better - even then - and I was determined to try.”

O'Hearn identifies a lack of purpose as the missing element in his high school days.

"It felt like we were just going through the motions without understanding why,” he says.

"Then, during my senior year, my father, a tradesman, told me, ‘You're smart. If you don't use your brain to make a living, I'll be very disappointed.'"

His father's hard work and sacrifices were not lost on O’Hearn.

"The thought of letting him down was unthinkable to me. My Dad sacrificed a lot for our family. He worked so hard over long hours and had long, brutal commutes. So, I chose education over following him into the trades."

After graduating from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor's degree, O’Hearn began his teaching career at Jefferson High School in Rockford Public Schools District 205. He taught social studies and American History, saying he spent the first two years finding his feet.

“I finally hit my stride in my third year of teaching when I realized I needed to be more purposeful myself. I realized I needed a plan for each class. That is when I recommitted to doing everything I could to make sure my students didn’t feel as lost as I did in high school.”

“In my fifth year as a teacher, Don Rundall, my Principal at Jefferson High, invited me to apply for the RPS / NIU Principal Residency program,” he recalls, “I was almost immediately all in. I had learned a lot from Don as my mentor and I saw his invitation as an expression of confidence. I didn’t want to let Don down anymore than I wanted to let down my own Dad.”

O'Hearn thrived in the RPS / NIU Principal Residency program, appreciating its mix of tuition-free online learning and a well-paid internship.

"Learning on the job while being paid very well was ideal. I got a lot out of that program and I apply the skills and methods I acquired every day as an Assistant Principal here at Auburn."

When asked what he likes best about his Assistant Principal job at Auburn High, he takes no time generating an answer.

“I feel proud to help these excellent young people learn, mature, and prepare. This is a great building with a vibrant spirit. I really enjoy interacting with these kids,” he says. “Hand in hand with that is knowing that my influence is also felt in the student body through mentoring teachers. Best of all, I know I’m destined to be a Principal.”