It takes special qualities to be a teacher and a coach. In John Passarini's case, his extraordinary career has been marked by two outstanding qualities - passion and compassion.

The Newton native established the Waltham wrestling program in 1970 and compiled a 145-57-2 record in 12 varsity seasons. Passarini was twice named Co-Coach of the Year along with the "Legend" Larry Tremblay. His teams won two Suburban League Championships and three Central Mass Sectional Championships. Passarini is a proud member of the Massachusetts Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame (1986) and the Waltham HS Athletic Hall of Fame (2007).

After 18 years in the Waltham system, Passarini joined the Wayland faculty and served there from 1988-2004 as the System Wide Adapted Physical Education Specialist. In 2000 Passarini was named the AAHPERD National Adapted PE Teacher of the year. In 2001 he won the Council for Exceptional Children's "Going the Extra Mile" Award. What separates Passarini from everyone else is the time he spends with each individual athlete and student. Passarini develops deep connections with his students and athletes by not only being a coach and teacher, but by deeply caring about them. Teaching and coaching were not hourly responsibilities for Passarini, but a 24-7 devotion. Passarini, a Lexington resident, believes that "nobody is disabled; we are all differently abled." His program is based on a fundamental respect for the dignity and value of each child.

The pinnacle of his success was his selection as the 2003 Disney National Teacher of the Year, chosen the top educator from a pool of 185,000 nominees. Passarini had been nominated for the Disney award in 2002 by one of his adapted physical education students, Katie Lynch, whom he had met when she was a seventh grade student in Wayland in 1988. Passarini and Lynch developed a special bond from the moment they met until Lynch's death in 2003. Lynch was born with a connective tissue disorder and was only 28 inches tall. Yet she had a magnetic personality and despite severe physical challenges and more than a dozen life threatening surgeries, she had a brilliant mind and a "never give up" attitude. When Passarini received his Doctorate in Education at Boston University in 2001, he received a graduation card from Lynch that read, "If you have knowledge, let others light their candles by it." Passarini's career as a teacher and coach has been marked by lighting others' candles.

Part of the motivation for Passarini's career was the education he received in the Newton public schools. Born into an Italian immigrant family, Passarini struggled academically, repeating second grade. His turning point came when he was a seventh grade student at Meadowbrook Junior High, where he learned to understand and compensate for his learning challenges and become a dedicated and confident scholar. At Newton South High School, he captained three sports - football, wrestling and baseball - and was elected to the National Honor Society. Passarini was a first team Boston Globe All Scholastic Football selection, a New England Wrestling Champion, and the All Suburban League Baseball Catcher. He also won the Boys Senior Cup, which went to the top male graduate. In 2009 Passarini was inducted into the first class of the Newton South High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

At the University of Connecticut, Passarini played football and wrestled for 4 years and began his interest in adapted physical education after meeting Dr. Hollis F. Fait. "He was a beautiful blend of academics and compassion," said Passarini. I remember thinking, "What a wonderful man, I want to be just like him."

As he heads to his 70th birthday and 48th year of teaching, Passarini remains active. As an adjunct professor at Salem State University, he teaches both undergraduate and graduate Adapted P.E. , Perceptual-Motor Development, Methods and Principles of Coaching, and Health and Wellness. In addition, he teaches three classes of Adapted PE for the Swampscott Public Schools. Passarini is currently training for his 17th Annual Best Buddies Hyannis Port Challenge Bike ride and has raised over $48,000.00 for this wonderful organization.

Passarini has been married to his wife, Gloria, for 43 years. They have three sons - John, Tom and Michael - and their beautiful daughter-in-law, Jennifer. The Passarinis have one grandson, Jacoby.