His Story
Joe Underwood began teaching at Miami Senior High School in 1984, first as an earth science, drama and ESOL teacher and, from 1988, as head athletic trainer and television production teacher. He earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and theatre from Tennessee Tech University (1975), a master’s in sports medicine from the United States Sports Academy (1987), graduate film credits at the University of Miami (2002) and a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University (2006). Over his years as athletic trainer, his school’s basketball teams won ten state championships, and he says the locker-room messages of a motivational speaker, Ray Pelletier, shaped his teaching philosophy that “there is a champion in” every student.
Today he is the “Leading Learner” of Miami High’s Arts Related Technologies for Entertainment Careers (ARTEC) Academy, where students run a live daily television newscast, including “Noticias Hoy,” a daily update in Spanish, and write and direct short films. Many of his students come from low-income families and from sixteen countries, and some are still learning English. Several have gone on to internships while in high school and to jobs in film, television, music and video production. In the school’s state assessment, about 75 percent of his students pass, and none of his students appeared on a recent list of the lowest-quartile readers.
His honors include being named a Disney Teacher Awards Honoree (2004) and a USA TODAY All-USA Teacher (2005), and National Board certification (2003). He was Miami Senior High’s Teacher of the Year in 2003 and 2005, received special proclamations from the Miami-Dade County School Board in 2004 and 2005, and in 2006 joined the Disney Teacher Awards national selection committee and traveled to the Galapagos Islands with the Toyota International Teacher Program.
Beyond the Classroom
Underwood is a prolific grant writer: his principal and a colleague credit him with raising more than $365,000 for his program and the school. He wrote the curriculum for Entertainment Law, a course developed with Miami High’s Legal magnet program that is the first of its kind in the state, and he has presented at conferences about the school’s innovations. He has served on the Florida Governor’s State Board of Athletic Training since 2002 and was Florida’s high school athletic trainer of the year in 1995.
His students produce work for the community: public service announcements on drug awareness and seat belt safety, a video for the Metropolitan Planning Organization on public transportation, video and photography for a Special Olympics swim with Mark Spitz, and a feature-length documentary, Dear Mr. President, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. They have hosted a weekly Spanish-language Radio Disney program, interned with the Orange Bowl Committee, and recorded the Disney Teacher Awards gala for a DVD in Anaheim.
Philosophy Into Practice
Underwood bases his teaching on “Kaizen,” the Japanese idea of continuous, incremental improvement, and on trust. “Always work to be your best, and help others as well as yourself.” Because every project is seen by someone outside the classroom, his students learn that “accountability by casual TV viewers is much harsher than most other students ever encounter.”
His Beginning TV students make a “Personal Video History,” a music video built from their own family materials that draws parents into the school work; the project was covered by USA TODAY and the Miami Herald and became the subject of his doctoral dissertation. Special education students tutor Advanced Placement students on the digital editors, and students in his room work at tables rather than desks, with a control room, a studio and an editing room.
“Always work to be your best, and help others as well as yourself.”— Joe Underwood
“Everyday my students are reminded that there is a champion in them.”— Joe Underwood
In His Own Words
“Together we all achieve more.”— Joe Underwood
“My students get from my program real experience for real careers.”— Joe Underwood
“Teachers must be willing to trust that students are capable of making appropriate decisions.”— Joe Underwood
“We work together to make our daily programs as professional and error-free as possible.”— Joe Underwood
“These accomplishments have only been possible because I believe in my students and they believe in me.”— Joe Underwood
“It is very important for teachers to establish a safe, trusting environment where their students can flourish, learn, and not be intimidated.”— Joe Underwood
What Others Said
Joe is an outstanding educator who values learning.”— Dr. Hector Ibarra, nominator and 1998 NTHF inductee
“Joe is a hard working teacher who has won numerous awards, but more importantly, Joe’s work with his students is outstanding and creative.”— Terry Wick, Vice President, Disney Worldwide Outreach
“Joseph brings life experiences into the classroom.”— Agustin J. Barrera, Chair, Miami-Dade County School Board
“When I graduated from High School I was ready for the workforce, for college, and for life because of Joe Underwood.”— Daniel Antonio Davila, former student; City of Miami Mayor’s Office of Film and Cultural Affairs
“Dr. Underwood remains a true teacher.”— Daniel Tosado, Ed.D., Principal, Miami High School
“He has particularly contributed in the annual scholarship presentations as well as in the planning of the summer institutes.”— Tania R. Seale, Social Studies Department Chair, Miami Senior High School