1. What do you teach?

I teach Algebra 1,Geometry, and Lambkin Way.

2. What is your greatest accomplishment? 

I’ve done some pretty hard mountain bike races that I’m pretty proud of being able to finish. I did the Leadville 100 and the Breckenridge 100 around 2005. 

3. What did you want to be before being a teacher?

I actually was an engineer before I went to teaching. I went to college to be an engineer and I worked as an engineer for 15 years and then I decided to go back to school and become a teacher. 

4. What type of Engineer?

 I was a geotechnical engineer, which is all things to do with soil.

5. What inspired you to become a teacher?

I love science and math and I love problem solving which is why I went into engineering, but as I got more experience as an engineer, instead of the technical work I was I was doing more of the management which isn’t really what I liked, so then I thought that teaching would be a better way to share my love of math and problem solving. 

6. What would your last meal be?

It depends on the day, but I do love sushi. 

7. What is the worst trend you’ve seen students participate in?

People recording Tik Tok dances.This is more from middle school because I used to teach middle school. But for a while there was all the bottle flipping and students would flip and flip  and flip and try to stick their water bottle, and then for a while students were throwing their pencils up into the ceiling and that would drive me crazy and now it’s Tik Tok. 

8.  How long did you teach middle school?

9 years

9. What is a song you know every lyric to?

Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight.” I like old country. 

10. What is one of your hidden talents?

I can do a handstand. 

11. Is there another teacher’s class you’d like to enroll in for a day? What is it and why?

I would love to take any of the tech classes—like the drones or woodshop—I think that would be really fun to be in. And, I used to play clarinet and bassoon, but I stopped while I was still in middle school and I can’t really play an instrument anymore, and I think it would be nice to relearn how to play if I could be in beginning band again.

12.  If you could come up with your own spirit day what would it be?

Well, I thought the “Little White Lie” was pretty funny. I liked that one. I think we should do that one some more. I think we should do “Dress Like Your Favorite Teacher.”

13. What is the best thing about teaching at Collins?

I feel like I’m home because I went to high school here. Coming from Preston, I like working with older students; I think it just feels like a really nice community.

14.  What does being a Lambkin mean to you?  

I think it means being accepting—I like how Collins has a lot of diversity, and I think being a Lambkin shows that diversity because we’re the only school with a Lambkin as a mascot, so we’re unique.