Clint Hagen Earns TCA Accolade

Middle School Latin Teacher Clint Hagen was awarded the prestigious 2025 Gaylan DuBose Award for Excellence in Pre-collegiate Teaching by the Texas Classical Association, the professional organization representing Latin, Greek and classical studies educators across Texas. Hagen said, “I am very honored to be recognized by my peers, and this award is especially meaningful since Gaylan was a colleague of mine when I worked at St. Andrew's [Episcopal School] in Austin.” As this year’s honoree, Hagen is the TCA’s nominee for the national ACTFL Teacher of Excellence/Teacher of the Year award. 

The Gaylan DuBose Award is widely regarded within the Texas classical education community as a mark of exceptional dedication and skill, especially given the highly competitive and vibrant pool of Latin teachers in the state. Upper School Latin Teacher Bryan Carlson presented the award to Hagen during Middle School Assembly on Monday, October 20. “This award is quite an honor among the community of Latin teachers because, while the overall number of Latin teachers is low, the number of fantastically gifted and energetic members in Texas is unusually high,” Carlson said. 

Hagen is a passionate educator dedicated to the study of Latin and classical civilizations. Since joining FWCD in 2015, he has been a driving force behind the growth and innovation of the Latin program, working closely with colleagues to foster a vibrant classical language community.

In response to declining Latin enrollment and limited year-round engagement opportunities, Clint founded the Latin League in 2024 – a pioneering, team-based competition designed to keep students actively involved in Latin language and culture throughout the academic year. Combining flexible scheduling, an athletic-inspired format, and accessibility for schools nationwide, the Latin League has grown to include hundreds of teams across multiple states, extending opportunities for students in even the most remote areas.

Clint’s Latin classes center on the relevance of the ancient world to modern life, emphasizing how Latin underpins modern language, literature, law, and philosophy. He is committed to making classical studies both meaningful and enjoyable, believing that engagement with Latin helps students develop critical thinking, language skills, and a deeper understanding of history. He is also committed to using modern technology to enhance students’ understanding of the ancient world.

“Teaching, in my view, is primarily about relationships, the capacity we all have for connectedness,” said Hagen. “The classroom is full of relationships – between teacher and student, student and student, teacher and subject matter, student and subject matter. My job is to cultivate these relationships in the service of my students, helping them to establish their own webs of relationships that will give shape and meaning to their lives.”