Brandon Clark, a passionate first year science teacher at Emerson High School, finds his purpose in education, emphasizing responsibility, second chances, and the pivotal moments that drove him to the classroom. Clark and his career goals did not initially include teaching.
“When I was much younger, I really thought I would be an actor or a comedian, or something like that. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school that I thought that I could really coach and be a teacher,” Clark said.
He also considered pursuing nursing as a career.
“I really thought I was going to be a nurse, because what I was originally going to college for was nursing. But, then I kind of realized that I liked the impact that I could make on people that I teach and coach, because that’s kind of what I was doing. I was involved in presenting a lot of things and helping kids out and it really made me realize my passion for it,” Clark said.
Clark’s interest in becoming an educator was peaked primarily by his own passion for gaining knowledge in three specific fields of science.
“I really like kinesiology, so exercise science is what I did in college, that’s my favorite. I also really, really like evolution, which is part of biology,” Clark said. “Those are probably my two most passionate things. Aquatic science, I would probably say, is a close third.”
Clark has a great appreciation for his own education opportunities and desired to become a teacher who was capable of inspiring others to also pursue and enjoy science education.
“Well, I wanted to become a teacher because I really like helping kids learn and grow. I feel like I can make a really big impact, especially at this level.”
As a teacher of environmental science, Clark is concerned for the future of the environment, having the innovative idea of perhaps utilizing artificial intelligence to assist in the gauging of the impact we have on the earth, for the purpose of, Clark said, “protecting the earth that we live on, not for me necessarily, or other teachers, but for you guys.”
Based on previous experiences he had as a teen from a difficult background, Clark has an insightful perspective on what it means to be an accountable person.
“The most important skill you can learn in life is being, I guess, responsible,” Clark said. “And I don’t mean responsible necessarily as, you don’t lose your wallet, but you’re making the right choices. The things you do in high school, especially if you’re 17 or 18, illegal things or whatever, can really have an effect on your future. The way you treat somebody today, could really affect the way they view you in the future. So, it’s just really important to be as responsible and think about the choices you make.”
Many of Mr. Clark’s past experiences as a young person and as a student have shaped his ability to relate well and communicate effectively to his students, to understand the struggles and difficulties of being a teen in today’s world and to convey compassion and understanding for his students.
“I can understand when kids are having, you know, a tough day, a tough time, and they’re like, ‘Coach, I just need you to relax today, this happened,’ or you know, something like that. I’m able to connect with these students and really understand, and give them the grace that maybe other teachers who haven’t been in those situations, don’t really understand,” Clark said.
Clark’s positive outlook on always looking to the future, taking personal responsibility, and making good, quality life choices and decisions, makes him an inspiration for his students as well as an asset to the staff at Emerson High School.
“If you have a bad day, the most important thing you can tell yourself is, ‘There’s always tomorrow.’ You know, you could have the worst day of your life on Friday and on Saturday it could be the best time you’ve ever had,” Clark said. “Again, there’s always tomorrow, just try to learn from it and move on from there.”