Robert Tuori: 20 years Teaching Science at the Ithaca High School

Growing up Robert Tuori’s father worked for 45 years in a factory in Syracuse. No one suspected many of these factories would be shuttered by the time Robert and his family would return to visit in the 1990’s.

A good student, Robert headed to the State University of New York at Albany where he obtained degrees in both Biology and Chemistry. He liked the “city feel” of Albany and pursuing his academic interests had gone well.

Seeking to round out his undergraduate studies, Robert headed to SUNY’s College of Environmental  Science and Forestry program (ESF), back in Syracuse, his old  turf. Over the next three years he studied Mycology in Syracuse before heading to Oregon.

Moving across the country to the Northwest after Syracuse, Robert, and his growing family fell in love with this part of the country. Even though they dreamed of becoming Oregonians, they headed back to Syracuse after 8 years in Corvalis, Oregon to be near their families. By the time Robert had his Ph.D. in Mycology, he and his wife’s parents were aging, and the industry of Syracuse had grown rusty. “By the time we moved back, many of the sturdy factories, the dependable employers had shuttered their windows and locked their doors.”

Being able to support young and older families, Robert considered the key role high school teachers can play in students’ lives. After obtaining  teaching certification credentials Robert entered the classroom.

Robert’s first two years were in Newfield, and he has since completed 21 years at Ithaca High School. “It’s been an excellent job, in a great school with amazing students. I teach 100 fabulous, smart students ”  

While Robert inspired students in his Chemistry class and in his  Sustainable Agriculture class, he and his family created their own sustainable farm in a nearby community.

In January 2023 Robert Tuori pre-recorded a stash of video lectures and exercises, and left for a 3-month prestigious Fulbright Teachers’ program in Vietnam. “Following 20 years of teaching, raising kids, home farming, I headed to Vietnam. I have always been interested in international travel and the trip was a revelation.”

As soon as Robert Tuori returned from Vietnam he began planning a student trip to Vietnam for the following February of 2024. “To plan this undertaking I worked with many outstanding student organizers. Rachel Tay, Kieran Shulman, were real standouts in the high school world. Natural leaders, they recruited other students, and soon the students began outreach to create work situations, so that each student could raise money for the trip. Students worked solo and in groups organizing jobs, and weeding, planting, raking, chipping yards, all over the community. They raised enough money to enable 30 students to join the tour.”

“Together we took bus rides, boat rides, enjoyed a cruise… All 30 students and their adult chaperones got along great. There were no disagreements, but we agreed to the young people’s requests to have time and space in the itinerary to hang out, in smaller groups…We lucked out with this fabulous, smart, amazing group of students, who flew 18-20 hours each way, and toured together in an unknown country for 11 days.”

As the school year ended Robert shared the last of his academic offerings with his students, while they began the momentous journey beyond high school. Years from now Robert Tuori’s students will never forget their adventure in Vietnam, and they will always remember the many ways their teacher inspired them about science and the world beyond.