Harry F. Preston V wanted his students to excel in and out of the classroom.

Every year, he supervised students at Green Street Academy in Baltimore as they competed in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow challenge, which encourages students to find innovative solutions to issues in their communities. In 2022, Preston advised students as they built a solar- and wind-powered mobile food pantry that could offer fresh produce to Baltimore residents, even during emergencies.

“Providing students opportunities to have a voice in real community issues allows them to see the change they can create in the world and in the lives of their family, friends and community,” Preston later wrote about the experience.

The students were national finalists, earning the academy $50,000 to invest in its Innovation Center, which Preston led. And it wasn’t just a one-off victory — Preston’s students were regularly recognized for their achievements and innovations.

That is Preston’s legacy. Preston, a devoted family man and passionate educator who always gave back to his community, died on Nov. 17 at age 43. His family declined to provide the cause of death.

“Preston was creative, innovative and dedicated, leaving a lasting impact on our school community,” said Denisha Logan, the executive director of Green Street Academy.

Preston was born April 30, 1981, to Darlene and Harry Preston IV, and he had a younger sister, Erica Sennett.

He was an inquisitive child, Darlene Preston said, and “as he grew, his curiosity expanded and grew into a talent to never stop seeking.” His favorite toys were Legos, which helped him develop a love for science and math, his mother said.

The children were always protective of each other, Darlene Preston said, but made time for fun. They had an annual Christmas Eve tradition of decorating their own small trees, making handmade gifts and deciding who had the best gift-wrapping skills. They’d go to sleep in matching pajamas.

Preston grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, where he attended an elementary school led by a Black male principal. His career in education may have started there: Preston, who was one of few Black students at his school, saw his principal as a role model and a mentor — and visited him so often that he had his own desk in his office.

He was an engaged and fast-learning student, often racing ahead of his classmates. But instead of rewarding his enthusiasm, his teachers called him a “difficult child,” Preston later recounted.

His relationship with the principal was different. Sometimes, Preston wrote, it felt like the principal was the only person who understood him. Preston resolved to serve as a role model for young Black boys like the principal had for him.

He went to Benedict College in 1999 to earn a bachelor’s degree in physics. He met his eventual wife, Izatte “Zee” Preston, during freshman orientation. At first, she thought he was shy — but that impression quickly turned into a deep love for Preston’s warmth, spontaneity and quick wit, she said in an email.

Preston pledged Alpha Phi Alpha, a historically Black fraternity. His great-grandfather was an Alpha, family members said, and he viewed the fraternity as a good place to make connections and build a community.

Preston continued his education at the University of South Carolina and, later, Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a master’s degree in education and leadership. He started working for Baltimore City Public Schools through Teach for America while enrolled at Hopkins, beginning his career as an engineering teacher at Edmondson-Westside High School.

“He made a huge impact because he equipped the kids with a level of confidence that they didn’t know they had,” Izatte Preston said. “He let them know it was OK to think outside the box.”

The couple married around the same time, tying the knot at the South Carolina State Museum in 2009. Preston had proposed by asking Izatte to take a photo in front of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. He paused and said, “Wait — I have something to make the picture even better.” And then came the ring.

Their union bore three children, Harry F. Preston VI, Kennedy and Payton.

Family always came first, loved ones said, no matter what was going on in Preston’s professional life — and that was a lot. Through the years, he served as an executive vice president for the Baltimore City Teachers Union, treasurer of the Upton Planning Committee, and executive director of the Preston Education Foundation, family said.

He loved wrestling and volunteered with Beat the Streets Baltimore, which aims to empower the city’s youth through wrestling and academic programming. Lydell Henry, the co-founder and executive director of Beat the Streets, met Preston while he was a wrestling coach at Edmondson-Westside.

Preston’s investment in students’ well-being was obvious. He built lifelong relationships with wrestlers and encouraged them to attend college, Henry said.

Preston was “a true Baltimore hero,” Henry added, and his “advocacy for education was really unmatched. His story ends far too short.”

Darlene Preston said her son should be remembered for his generous spirit and calling to help others succeed. He was just like the titular character on his favorite show, “MacGyver,” his mother said — he always wanted to fix things, especially with duct tape.

She still has duct tape on her fireplace from the time Preston tried to fix up some Christmas lights as a child.

There is a celebration of life scheduled for Nov. 27 at 11 a.m. at Green Street Academy. The service will also be livestreamed.

The Banner publishes news stories about people who have recently died in Maryland. If your loved one has passed and you would like to inquire about an obituary, please contact obituary@thebaltimorebanner.com. If you are interested in placing a paid death notice, please contact groupsales@thebaltimorebanner.com or visit this website.