I have theeducation, compassion, and, most importantly, the experience. I am a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Education. I have aSecondary Social Science license in Wisconsin and am certified to teach U.S. History,World Civilizations, Western Civilizations, Political Science, and Geography. As well, Iam certified to teach K-6 science in California. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone, I taught English and Social Studies toprimary and secondary students. I relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Itaught elementary science and attained significant experience and skill with minority,special needs, and at-risk students. Similarly, I extended my experiences teachingsecondary social sciences in Wisconsin. Again, the demographic was predominantlyspecial needs and students at risk. Licenses and certifications are essential elements of any teacher's portfolio. Experiencegives life to the titles; however, the skill to build functional and compassionaterelationships makes a teacher. Above all else, a teacher must be genuine and connectwith a student in a way that demonstrates to the student they are important, capable,and entitled to the instructor's best effort.

A long and deeply rooted love for the outdoors is one of many reasons that I garden. Flowers, shrubs, tomatoes, you name it, I will try to grow it until I can't. As a teacher and father, I am perpetually surrounded by the sounds of yearning youth. There is precious time to turn inward. Gardening, like my second passion, fishing, especially fly fishing, is not a team sport for me. These are solitary endeavors that provide the perfect setting to recharge/. I can contemplate the effect of the afternoon sun on my Dragonwing begonias or wonder why white mayflies swarm like locusts but the fish only want to eat grasshoppers. I have the energy of an ant, rarely stopping long enough to feed myself. Most of what I do in my spare time is physical; fishing, planting, walking, biking, etc. An occasional Old West novel, a campfire, and a cup of coffee, Major League Baseball and College football are also some of my most enjoyable pastimes.