Q: Where did you originally go for school, and what was life like for you as a kid?
A: I grew up in Granite Falls and attended Granite Falls High School, graduating in 2020. After high school, I went to Washington State University where I graduated with a Bachelors of Social Studies in 2025. As a kid I enjoyed playing sports, video games, and hanging out with my friends.
Q: Did you think that you would be a teacher when you were in high school? If not, what did you want to be?
A: I wanted to become a teacher sometime during my senior year of high school. Originally, I wanted to be a math teacher. However, math is very hard and I did not like it as much. So I switched to history, which I was better at and enjoyed more, an easy choice. When I was a kid, I was convinced I was going to be an NBA player so that was my plan for a while.
Q: Was there any part of the curriculum of any of your younger self’s classes that stuck out to you? What parts?
A: History of course. I love all history. The only class I really struggled with as a student was chemistry. I am clueless within that subject.
Q: Did you choose to student-teach history as a subject? If you had to choose any other subject, which one would it be?
A: Yes, when you pursue teaching you have to get endorsed in a subject. I chose to pursue history. If I had to choose any other subject, it would be psychology.
Q: What’s the best advice / lesson a teacher has given you in your time as a student teacher?
A: The best advice given to me in my time as a student teacher would be from Mr. Williams. The advice is to “cave immediately”.
Q: Likewise, what’s the best lesson a student has given you, either by them telling you or by observing it?
A: The best lesson I have observed from a student was that students who use their class time well and take notes do better on tests and in the course in general. (This should not be taken with a grain of salt. This is CLASSIC TEACHER DO-WELL-IN-SCHOOL PROPAGANDA. You should A] listen to it, I know you’ve got that C somewhere, and B] this is only a move that a REAL TEACHER WOULD MAKE. He’s a natural!)
Q: What have been your favorite and least favorite parts of a classroom setting as a teacher?
A: My favorite part during my time in the classroom was getting to know the students and seeing them succeed and achieve their goals, and being able to assist them in doing so. My least favorite part is when I see students not reaching their full potential.
Q: Was there any lesson during your time as a student teacher that one of the mentors taught that inspired you to do something similar? What was it?
A: One time Mr. Williams created a custom crossword puzzle with history terms in it. I did the same for one of my World History classes.
Q: Who were your top 5 students, in no particular order?
A: My top 5 students are my 1st period, my 2nd period, my 3rd period, my 4th period, and my 6th period. I have prep 5th period. (Avoiding all questions about favorites? Come on, if this guy isn’t a shoo-in for a teacher position, I’ll eat my crossword book.)
Q: What do you plan to do once you get out of your training? Will you try to get a teaching job here?
A: Once I am finished with my student teacher training, I will start looking around for a teaching job in the surrounding area. I would love a job teaching at Granite. (This is a very big thing, so listening ears at the ready. Thanks to RIF [Reduction in Force] among staff around the district, it may become difficult for Mr. Hoople to get a job here. This is bad for us as well as him, because, aside from the obvious agony of having Mr. Hoople in another school, we might get classes cut among all departments that would limit our options for electives and other “non-essentials” [Such as Freshman Success and Culinary]. This is unfortunately due to funding, or lack of it, that forces the school board to make these difficult decisions.)
Q: Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about you?
A: I would like the readers to know that both me and Ryan Nations got accepted into Harvard and toured the school a few months ago. They offered Ryan a full scholarship for his academic achievements and athleticism on the basketball team. I did not get a scholarship but am still excited to go. I’d also like them to know that I enjoyed my time at GFHS, and I thank all of the students for being so welcoming and kind.
Holy flex, dude. I mean you definitely deserve the opportunity but still, Harvard! That’s like, in Massachusetts! That’s where they dumped all the tea. Congratulations are in order, but if we can all make sure he gets into professional teaching here, we can celebrate in person! Still, Mr. Hoople was a creator for a lot of great memories and fun times among the history students, and we will all thoroughly miss him now that he’s gone. (With the exception of the Freshmen, who will read this looking mildly confused.) We hope you’ll be back next year, and have fun wherever you spend the rest of the year!
