Tamalpais High School Teacher Named 'Symetra Hero in the Classroom'

Symetra, Wells Fargo and the San Francisco 49ers honored Tamalpais High School teacher David Lapp as a “Symetra Hero in the Classroom” on Sept. 9 during a surprise school assembly. Lapp is a Physics instructor at the Mill Valley high school.

“The care that David Lapp puts into the craft of teaching is often imitated but never replicated by the finest high school educators on the planet. He has graced room 65 in Palmer Hall with his presence since 1990 — his first year at Tam — and has been a main staple of the senior year experience at Tam,” said Jonathan Wachtel, one of Lapp’s former students, who now attends Tulane University. “Mr. Lapp understood from the time he first taught high-schoolers that dry textbooks filled with science terminology but without any interesting anecdotes to illuminate the concepts didn’t leave a lasting impact on students. To remedy the situation, Mr. Lapp wrote his own textbook filled with interesting personal anecdotes and real-life applications to aid the understanding of the physics terms he was teaching, allowing his students to better understand the class.” Wachtel nominated Lapp for the Symetra Heroes in the Classroom® award.

“Mr. Lapp goes beyond teaching physics with the hard work he asks his students to put in. He helps you understand that hard work is rewarded in the real world as it shows a sign of respect to everyone involved in a project,” said Wachtel. “Although Mr. Lapp was our teacher, he always treated every one of his students with the same respect he gave his fellow faculty members. This was an instrumental part of the thriving learning environment he created, as it broke down the usual barriers to asking questions that students have and allowed us to see him eye to eye. Mr. Lapp’s classroom is truly the Mecca of physics, with droves of seniors flocking to his classroom each year and then cycling out to make room for a fresh group of students who have never experienced his class, nor will experience anything like it again.”

Lapp is one of 16 K–12 teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area who will be honored for educational excellence in the Symetra Heroes in the Classroom program during the 2015 NFL season. Teachers are recognized in front of their students and peers at surprise in-school presentations, and they receive a $1,000 donation for classroom books and supplies. In addition, they receive tickets to a 49ers home game and a special pre-game experience at Levi’s Stadium. Lapp will be recognized at the Sept. 14 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Teachers may be nominated by their principal, district staff, student or student’s parent. The winners are selected based on their ability to make a real difference in students’ lives; to go above and beyond in their day-to-day responsibilities; and to help students build life skills.

More information about Symetra Heroes in the Classroom is available at www.SymetraHeroes.com/49ers.

About Symetra
Symetra Financial Corporation (NYSE: SYA) is a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Wash. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent agents and advisors. For more information, visit www.symetra.com.