Josh Iler didn’t always want to be a teacher.
It was his father who said he should become one, and a direction that was re-enforced while getting his
master’s degree at Bowling Green State University.
During the first week of the program, he got pulled into the office and was told by an adviser, “you know
you’re a fish out of water right?”
“I said yes, I realize that now.”
And then he was told he would make a great teacher.
“He was right and my dad was right, and here I am,” said Iler, who was honored Thursday as an
Inspirational Educator by the Bowling Green Kiwanis Club.
“My dad always told me I was going to be a teacher, but like most teens you don’t listen.”
Iler, who was the second of three educators honored by the club this month, shared his journey to
becoming a science teacher at Bowling Green High School and why he is just “a guy doing his job.”
In its sixth year, the club’s awards are given to three educators who have been selected by their peers
as having exceptional impact on their students.
“I’m not one to really care about (recognition) but I also learned from Francis, he doesn’t care what I
want,” Iler said to laughter.
Superintendent Francis Scruci, a member of Kiwanis, attended Thursday’s meeting.
“I always questioned what it might mean to be inspirational,” Iler said. “When I figured out what it
meant all these thoughts and memories came pouring into my head.”
He gave his father the credit to where he is today.
“He gave his all to his family.”
Iler made three points during his presentation.
The little things in life really do add up and turn into something bigger than you ever imagine, he said.

He credited former BGHS ag teacher Mike Shertzer, also a Kiwanian, with introducing him to hands-on
creativity.
At graduation, Shertzer wrote a message in a card, saying if you screw up, try again “and it stuck with
me.”
Iler didn’t start college right after high school. He went to work for Pahl Builders, where he learned
finished carpentry — skills he has used at Scruci’s home and the home of several district
administrators.
He found Sam Pahl the day he died, on the job. Sam’s son made a point of reaching out to Iler and telling
him to take a hard look at his career choice.
“And he was right. I loved doing it but I didn’t want to do it the rest of my life.”
Iler enrolled at BGSU, where he fell in love with science.
“I was not a science person in school. I wasn’t even a school person.”
Iler graduated from BGHS and BGSU, where he earned a bachelor of science in biology and master of science
in biology as well as his life science teaching license.
He has been at the high school 13 years after “coaching middle school and subbing elementary gym class
confirmed my desire to teach human beings above the age of 14.”
Iler teaches anatomy and physiology because “it’s about me and you and always practical.”
The little things in life matter along the way and his ideal is to work smart and hard.
“There’s no such thing as a bad job.”
Going back to Shertzer’s message, Iler said don’t be afraid to screw up.
“Failure is the most magnificent thing on this planet. Screwing up and figuring it out the next time
around, you’re more intelligent,” he said. “Maybe that’s what makes me a great scientist, too.”
At a rental house, he forgot to put the sump pump in, and he showed a picture of him in the crawl space.

“I paid for it. And I learned to never do that again.”
He also forgot to take his range finder when hunting, and missed the deer by 10 yards.
“I’ll never do that again. Always take your range finder.”
You have to embrace failure and anticipate possibilities, he said.
“You make mistakes, you learn from them, you move on.”
His heroes are Mike Rowe, who leads the “Dirty Jobs” television show. Iler has a poster of comedian Bill
Murray in his classroom that says “Don’t Worry, Bill Murray.”
“Failure and life learning is the only path to success.”
Jodi Anderson, secondary curriculum coordinator with the school district, met Iler when he was a student
teacher for a colleague.
“Josh seems amazed he had people in his life that recognized a natural talent. One of his greatest
strengths is he has a natural talent for relationships with students, and particularly with our students
in their teenage years. That is one of his gifts.”
Scruci recalled when Iler took on the koi pond in the high school courtyard, which was choked with weeds.
It was an eyesore Iler could see from the hallways.
Scruci said he was impressed that Iler had a group of seniors volunteering to work, on weekends and
holidays.
“You didn’t have to ask them to come in on a Saturday or over spring break. You got them to come because
of the relationships you build with kids,” he said. “That’s a testament of what you do in the
classroom.”
“I don’t know any other way,” Iler said. “I can’t write a book on what I do.
“I’m just trying to do my job the best that I can.”
He just taught a class on the impact addiction has on the brain.
“I tell my kids I get high in the classroom every day. What they do for me is probably more than what I
do for them.”