“Read books, get a job, help your neighbors with the downed limb in their yard, work a crossword puzzle, spend time with your grandparents, go camping, go to the theater, learn about yourself, learn about the world. Don’t do things just ‘to get into college,’ ” Ken Fox advises. After college Ken became a teacher; 25 years ago he switched to career counseling. For the last 15 years Ken has worked at the public high school that his wife, Kate McKee Fox, and their three children attended. At Dartmouth Susan Wright from career and employment services took the time to get to know Ken, ask the right questions and suggest that he go into education. “What better way to thank her than by doing the same for another generation,” Ken says.

Cathy Smith Sherry graduated with a degree in math, a job in banking and sights set on a career on Wall Street but quickly realized that teaching was her true passion. Cathy studied for her master’s in education and began teaching. After a few years teaching and the birth of her three children in New Jersey, Cathy and her family moved to Arizona, where she has taught math ever since, serving as department chair for more than 20 years. Cathy notes, “I love teaching! Sure, the budgets, crowding and testing get in the way and can be disheartening at times, but when a student has one of those ‘ah ha’ moments or a classroom erupts with understanding of a difficult concept—it’s the best!”

Heather Hazle Lambert is in her fourth year teaching at a pluralistic Jewish day school. Fascinated by the science, technology, engineering and math initiative and by how “engineering could help students see failure as a learning tool and develop soft ‘life skills’ ” and recognizing that she and her daughters had many disappointing experiences in math and science, Heather decided to get a second master’s and become a teacher. Heather notes, “I enjoy leveraging my NASA experience and bringing ‘professional work standards’ to my students’ tasks and assignments, particularly with the robotics teams. The students and teams have to figure out what they need to know and, under my mentorship, figure out how to learn the skills and material they need and then apply it.” And Heather has taken up curling.

Jim Morrison is joining the ranks of ’82 teachers. After more than three decades in commercial real estate, Jimis studying at St. Mary’s of California to become certified to teach in Title I schools. In the past Jim taught adults real estate math at NYU and University of Louisville, earning teacher of the year honors in 1991. Last year Jim experienced how “athletic” a classroom of 15-year-olds was. As he continues his journey, Jim will decide whether to use his new skills teaching adults or teaching youth. Meanwhile, Jim’s older daughter is studying for a master’s in public health, his younger daughter is an organic farmer and his son is studying electrical engineering.

—Robin Shaffert, 5044 Macomb St., NW, Washington, DC 20016; robinshaffert@gmail.com; David Eichman, 9004 Wonderland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046; dme4law@sbcglobal.net