Q: What is your main profession (or community involvement)?
I have been a teacher all of my adult life. I finished my student teaching semester in the Winter of 2001 and started at Hamilton Southeastern High School (Indiana) in January of 2002. I was hired as a chemistry and physics teacher. I also started a Rube Goldberg club at the high school and we competed in the annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. My principal, Bob Albano, came to me and asked me to take a look at this engineering curriculum called Project Lead the Way. He wanted a science teacher to head up this new program. I jumped at the opportunity because it combined my love of science with my passion for building and making. We started with 12 students the first year and grew the program to over 200 students enrolled in our engineering classes in 14 years while at HSE. I was hired at HHS to teach the Coding pathway for Computer Science. Within 1 year, we started the PLTW engineering program here at HHS and now offer 4 classes in CS and 5 classes in Engineering, along with our robotics team.

Q: What do you enjoy most about what you do?
I love seeing students develop lifelong learning skills that are transferable to any field. Pushing students beyond what they think they can do and helping them succeed with their projects brings real joy.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 3 to 5 years?
Hopefully in the classroom teaching and inspiring more students. Each year seems more challenging than the last. With new demands and expectations from parents and community members, the job can feel overwhelming. I think we need to reassess what school is for, what the role of a teacher is, and make sure there are supports in place to keep great teachers in the classroom.

Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I am a pretty open person. I feel I can do a lot of things reasonably well, but not really a master at any of them. I have the disposition that I want to learn something new, once I am decently proficient at it I will move on to another skill.

Q: Who has been the most influential person in your life? Why?
My wife Lindsey. She is my biggest supporter and allows me to pursue my passions for robotics and teaching. She gives great advice and is a great listener. I wouldn’t want to go through this life without her. She pushes me to be a better husband, father, teacher and friend.

Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative, with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? and where locally would you like to meet for this lunch?
Mike Rowe. I know he is a strong supporter of the trades and it would be fun to pick his brain about ways to revamp high school education with apprenticeships and job shadowing experiences for students. Casual lunch with a burger and fries at Sam’s.

Q: What is the best advice that you have ever received, or advice you would like to give our community?
Learn something new everyday. I think that is one of the most amazing things about being a human. We have a tremendous capacity to learn and grow.

Q: What is something unique or your favorite thing about Sumner County?
Although we are a stone’s throw from a major metropolitan area, we have a small town feel, people are genuinely willing to help neighbors, and we have a wonderful mix of suburban and rural areas, with a lot of natural beauty.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
Our family loves to go camping and hiking. We have taken many road trips to the different national parks, from Acadia in Maine to Zion in Utah. We haven’t been to Alaska, and I haven’t been to the national parks in California since I was a teen. We would love to explore those places in the US with our kids. Internationally, I have a ton of places that are on my bucket list. Mediterranean cruise, European theater, African Safari, Japan and Australia all sound amazing.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Besides traveling to many different areas above, I would like to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

Q: Favorite Month? Favorite Holiday? And best single day on the calendar?

• May – Weather is changing, fresh smell of cut grass, and new life begins
• Christmas – Birth of Jesus, Family Time, Generosity of Strangers
• July 4th – A great reminder of living in a wonderful country and the freedoms we have

Q: What is the most Beautiful place you have been? 
The Grand Canyon. Pictures do not do it justice.

Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
Classic rock

Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
People might think I am crazy with this answer, but I would say my in-laws, Evan and Deb Follas. So many people have issues with their in-laws. I have had the complete opposite experience. My in-laws are some of the best people I know. They would do anything for me and expect nothing in return. They are the reason why we moved here. We wanted to be closer to them so our children would have someone who could speak truth into their lives.

Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Banana Bread baking in the oven.

Q: What is your favorite movie or TV Show?
Shawshank Redemption – drama, Matrix – Visual Effects / Sci-Fi,  Planes, Trains and Automobiles – Comedy, Iron Man – Marvel, Lord of the Rings Trilogy – Fantasy, Karate Kid – I get sucked in if I see it on TV, The Office