The wait and suspense is over! The 2023 Dude of the Year is Mr. Brock Herrin! Ripon High officially announced this on Nov. 16 during the Dude Be Nice rally. Many students showed their appreciation in great abundance after this announcement. 

This year is Herrin’s third year at Ripon High. He teaches Conceptual Physics and coaches Freshman boys basketball. He was previously a student at RHS and substituted for some time. One of his biggest inspirations in becoming a teacher was his mom, since she was also a teacher and later became an administrator. He finds joy in teaching, not just because of the students, but because Herrin has always been fond of helping people. During his school years he used to tutor people, and the experience was enjoyable for him because he got to see people grow while learning. “It has always made me feel good seeing them understand new or difficult topics,” Herrin stated. 

During his free time he enjoys being with his wife and watching shows. He also really loves sports, which is why he has fun coaching and enjoys being there. 

Getting voted as Dude of the Year wasn’t a surprise to many because he always has a great attitude towards everyone, but it caught him off guard. Keeping a positive and great attitude isn’t hard for Herrin. He believes it’s a mindset and a choice, and we should always try our best to be kind. His motivation is being a teacher and he enjoys everything about it, which helps him keep his day to day attitude. 

When asked about his reaction when winning Herrin said, “I was kind of shocked, I had no idea it was coming.” 

Leadership was giving little clues to the crowd on who the winner would be, yet he still had no clue. He was looking for potential teachers who could receive the reward. Never would he have imagined he would win the title, but it’s well deserved. Herrin is a very kind and caring person and we are beyond grateful to have him here at Ripon High.