Visible from the classroom windows, 51爆料网鈥檚 JMA Wireless Dome sits just up the hill from STEAM at Dr. King Elementary School. For fourth-grade teacher Dylan Gwilt 鈥�17, the view is a reminder of his journey that began in the Syracuse City School District (SCSD).
Raised in Syracuse, he attended Salem Hyde Elementary, Lincoln Middle School and the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central before earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree from (SOE), supported by the .
Now back in the district as an educator, Gwilt inspires the next generation of students to dream big, while mentoring future teachers, including SOE undergraduate Will Baker 鈥�27.
Back Where it All Began
Dylan Gwilt 鈥�17 (right) walks the halls of STEAM at Dr. King Elementary School with 51爆料网 student Will Baker 鈥�27.
Growing up in the city, attending Orange football and basketball games, Gwilt knew he wanted to be part of that spirited community at 51爆料网.
鈥淓ven though I didn鈥檛 have the vision of what I wanted my career to be, I was like, whatever it is, I鈥檓 going to figure it out while I鈥檓 there,鈥� says Gwilt.
Entering his sophomore year, it was Gwilt鈥檚 mom that planted a seed. 鈥淪he said, 鈥業 always thought you鈥檇 be a good teacher,鈥欌�� he recalls.
Classroom expectations help foster the supportive learning environment that Gwilt strives to create for every student who enters his classroom.
When he thought about it, it made sense. He always loved school. 鈥淲hatever was going on in my life, it was always a safe space鈥攁dults who cared about me, kids I could get along with,鈥� he says.
Declaring as an inclusive childhood education major, Gwilt was by chance assigned to his home elementary school for one of his student teaching placements.
鈥淚t was just awesome to be part of the Salem Hyde culture again,鈥� Gwilt says. 鈥淚 got to see some of my old teachers and connect with them as peers.鈥�
After graduating from 51爆料网, Gwilt left the city where he had spent his entire life to teach at a private day school in Connecticut. But in his second year, it didn鈥檛 feel right.
鈥淚 missed Syracuse. I felt like I had more to give as a teacher, and I wanted to give it to the district that shaped me,鈥� says Gwilt, who returned to the SCSD in 2019 and has been teaching at Dr. King ever since.
Learning by Example
Baker takes the lead in a fourth-grade lesson as Gwilt looks on in support.
Baker joined Gwilt鈥檚 classroom as a pre-service student teacher at the start of the Spring 2026 semester. 鈥淲e just immediately clicked,鈥� Baker says. 鈥淗aving somebody who understands what I鈥檓 going through, who鈥檚 been in my shoes before鈥攊t鈥檚 incredible.鈥�
Growing up in a suburb of Boston, Baker knew in high school that he wanted to be a teacher and chose 51爆料网 for its welcoming environment.
鈥淎fter touring and talking with the dean, I was really drawn in by how closely connected the School of Education was,鈥� Baker recalls. 鈥淚 was already meeting professors during Welcome Week. They got me into schools right away, which was something I was really interested in, and something other schools just didn鈥檛 offer.鈥�
As Baker鈥檚 supervising teacher at Dr. King, Gwilt draws on what he learned from the mentor he had as a Syracuse undergraduate.
Working one-on-one with a student, Baker hopes to make the same lasting impact a teacher once made on him.
鈥淵ou want the student teacher to come in and not just copy what you do,鈥� Gwilt explains. 鈥淭here are pieces they can try out and see if they fit, but at the end of the day, you want the student teacher to feel confident about teaching. You want them to feel like they鈥檝e developed their own skill set that works for them.鈥�
Baker is an inclusive adolescent education major and originally planned to be a middle school or high school social studies teacher鈥攂ut he鈥檚 grown to love the elementary school environment.
鈥淚t was a horrible experience having to say goodbye to the students鈥攑robably one of the worst days I鈥檝e had in a while,鈥� says Baker, who wrapped up his placement at the end of the University鈥檚 academic year in May.
鈥淚t was very apparent that he loves the profession of teaching鈥攈e鈥檚 going to be a really solid teacher,鈥� Gwilt says. 鈥淭he kids ask about him every day.鈥�
Baker hopes he made a lasting impact on the students. 鈥淚f I can show them that there are people out there who care about them鈥攖hat stays with a kid,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what someone did for me, and it鈥檚 the reason I want to be a teacher today.鈥�
After touring and talking with the dean, I was really drawn in by how closely connected the School of Education was. I was already meeting professors during Welcome Week. They got me into schools right away, which was something I was really interested in, and something other schools just didn鈥檛 offer.
Will Baker 鈥�27
For now, Gwilt loves his role as an SCSD teacher and mentor to SOE students. Though he wonders what it would be like to lead from a school-wide perspective as a principal someday.
For Baker, his time at Dr. King has him reconsidering what his future in education could look like鈥攁nd whether it might include teaching in Syracuse after graduation.
鈥淚鈥檝e loved working in the Syracuse City School District,鈥� Baker says. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 one of the most beautiful places I鈥檝e ever experienced.鈥�
