For this longtime Galileo educator, teaching was never the original plan. From childhood dreams of working on locomotives to a career shaped by a love for history, grilling, and deep connections with colleagues and students, his journey has been a unique one. Now, with over 15 years at Galileo, he’s known for his broad interests, appreciation for classic Spider-Man comics, and a sense of humor that keeps his classroom lively.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I grew up, as a small child, I wanted to work on locomotives or trains. That was my first, kind of, pipe dream job choice.
What’s something about you that you don’t think your students would expect?
I don’t think students would expect that I’m interested in just about everything, but I think students know that. But at the same time, I would say that most students probably would have no idea that I’m not afraid to carry on conversations about a variety of topics. Most people only have very singular interests. Mine are very plural. So some people might be more into sports. Some people may be more nerdy. I’m at home in both worlds. So I can kind of fit a variety of interests.
Out of all your time teaching, what do you think your best decision was?
My best decision? Working at Galileo and staying.
Looking back, if you could make one change to something in your teaching career what would it be?
If I could make one change? I would have liked to have gotten, before I became attached to Galileo, gotten my advanced degrees, because I still don’t have them. Teaching was only supposed to be one year, but I kind of got sucked into it. So, that was, life turns out differently. But I’m not bitter or unhappy, and I can still keep getting them, so.
If you had to switch classes with another teacher (you teach their class and they teach yours, not just people but subjects as well) who would it be?
If I had to switch classes with another teacher, this is going to come as a surprise. It would probably be art. I enjoy art a lot. A matter of fact, I enjoy going to Ms. Murphy’s class and watching what they’re doing a lot of times. She does a good job of looking at the art side of things, but also the interpretations and kind of like the intellectual side to art, not just the creativity.
What are some of your favorite things? (foods, movies, books, games, colors, people, etc.)
Well, I love history. I love music, big Pink Floyd fan. Big Neil Young fan. I love kind of going down rabbit holes in American history related to time periods or presidential administrations. I love traveling. My all time favorite movie is Jaws. Star Wars is up there. Big Spider Man fan ,the comics and of the movies. I like Marvel, but to me Tobey Maguire’s Spider Man, not Andrew Garfield or Tom Holland. My comic book knowledge is more than most people can attest. Ask Federico, he got whooped. And I love the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, my favorite football team in the National Football League. And I love my wife, Megan. We’ve been married for almost a year now, we’re expecting a little boy. So, on the horizon.
What are some of your hobbies?
I love reading, I like to work out, and I enjoy cooking. That’s one of my all time favorite hobbies.
When you come to school what do you look forward to the most?
I look forward to teasing and carrying on with people like Barack Tarkelli. He’s the kind of person that I like to mess around with because he works hard, but he also has a great sense of humor. I like to aggravate people like Zane Zane and Carter Wilson. And then I really like the people who are very appreciative of you trying to help them. People like Jerusha Theodore, she’s a good kid. You know, Sophia Markle, she’s a good kid. I typically like all the students I come in contact with. Some of them don’t work as hard as others, but I was in high school once too. But, I get along with mostly everybody. I can count on maybe one hand how many people I’ve never gotten along with.
How long have you been at Galileo?
Fifteen biggins, yes, got sucked in. It has lasted longer than some marriages.
Describe your experience with Galileo in one sentence?
Describe my experience at Galileo, in one sentence. A delightful past, present, and yet to be seen future, in which I made a lot of great friends, worked with a lot of great people, and met my wife along the way. And probably will meet a lot of interesting people yet to happen.
Do you think you have made any life long friends by working here?
Yeah, Mark Bryant. Good friend of mine. They’ll never admit it, but Ashley Murphy and Jennifer Kinnett, really good friends of mine. Pretty much anybody in the entire building that’s been here for a while. Mrs. Conner, both Conners, Mr. Carter, you know, Medlin, and then a bunch of former students that I taught over 10 years ago. We’re pretty close still. So it seems like there’s a great kind of niche of people here.
If you had to sponsor a new club what would you want it to be and why?
A new club. So I’m the Athletic Director. I coach Quiz Bowl. I’m the IB Diploma Coordinator. I teach some history classes. I hardly do enough. But if I were to create a new club, it would be a club made for the real people. When I say real people, These are the people who like to grill copious amounts of meat and eat it. So kind of like a cooking class, but we specialize in grilling.. And we don’t do that propane garbage. I’m talking like fire, like charcoal, wood, you know, like part of the pleasure is seeing the fire. I’m not a pyromaniac, not going to burn down the school. But, you know, we need to see fire and meat sizzling on the hot grill.
What brought you to Galileo instead of another school?
Huh. Just luck, I suppose. Just the right place at the right time. Cashed in on an opportunity. Started working here in February 2010.
Do you like when students call you nicknames, nice ones, do you think it helps to create a bond or are you uncomfortable with nicknames?
Depends. Only if I can reciprocate. Alex played Dirty. Some of them I can’t handle. But, yeah, I get along with most everybody. So, they can call me a nickname, and I’ve gotten some nicknames for them, such as Ugly. It’s my most common nickname. Just ask Thomas Hungerland or Zane about that.
Out of all the staff at Galileo, who would you be interested in reading an interview like this on? Who do you think the student body should get to know better?
Most interesting? Tough question. But, I would have to say the people I would find most interesting are the people who have been here longer than me. And it’s only two of them. And those are Mark Bryant and Kelly Conner.
