Graduating from Highland High School at the age of 84

On Sunday, May 17, my high school held graduation. Part of the ceremony was awarding Lupe Vigil, an 84 yr. WWII Vet, his honorary High School Diploma. Fox News was there and the story was broadcasted in New York and Spokane along with Colorado. It was really neat to witness this historic event for Lupe. Click on his name to see the news clip. LUPE

Wedgie = Extra Credit

At our last track meet one of my athletes was laying down in the grass. Like many boys, he had his pants down low and his underwear showing. After trying to convince a couple of girls, I finally got a boy to agree to my devious plan. I said "Robert, I will give you extra credit if you give James a Wedgie." Robert agreed, gave James a wedgie, and took off running. It was so funny.

Bathroom Talk

Unfortunately at school we do not have a staff bathroom. As a result, I often hear a lot of juicy info when I am using the restroom. Occasionally, I will add to the conversations that are going on between girls without revealing that it is me. Today, I decided to have a little fun with two girls. I d0n't know what they were talking about but in the middle of their conversation I blurted out, "Could you keep it down, I am trying to concentrate here." Silence. Then one girl said with a little bit of attitude, "If you need to concentrate in there you got problems." Silence. She then continued, "Who is in there anyway?" Much to my delight I answered, "Ms. Leonard." I love the shock and the change in attitude that occurs instantly. It was pretty funny.

I had another funny and shocking experience but this did not occur in the bathroom. My geography classes are designing McDonalds in either a Latin American or European c0untry. Part of the project is developing a new menu with 10 items that are named after either a person, place, or event that is significant to the country they are researching. One girl was quite frustrated with this process because she had typed in Google, "Famous People in Italy" and it kept bringing up the name, Christopher Columbus. Finally, she called me over and said, "I keep getting this name, Christopher Columbus, who is he?" Shock instantly spread to my face and I said, "Remember the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Marie. Columbus sailed and 'discovered' the new world, the Americas." Without any look of recognition she simply said, "Oh, okay." Wow, are you kidding me. I know she has been taught about Christopher Columbus but I wonder why she was unable to retain that information.

What needs are met when you are married? Physical!

In my health class I am teaching about mental and emotional health. Part of the curriculum is Maslow's Hierarchy. For those that don't know what this is, it is certain needs that every human must meet in order to have a good mental and emotional health. So, the first need is physiological needs; food, water, sleep, etc. Then there are safety needs followed by the need to belong. After that there is the need for recognition. Finally, there is the need to reach one's own potential or self actualization. I was giving my students some real life scenarios and they would then identify which need was being met. One scenario was marriage. The answer is the need to belong or love that is being met. However, when I asked what need was being met one young man said, "Physical". Everyone started laughing but him. He sat there and pondered what he had just said and then quickly added, "You guys have dirty minds." It was pretty funny.