Gerald Dalebout

Tell us why you became a teacher

My niece Ruby inspired me to be a teacher. When I was in college, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I went to my sister's house in Seattle for a visit. I remember seeing my niece on the couch thinking "I may not know what I want to do, but maybe I could help the next generation figure it out?" I suppose it is like the blind leading the blind...but no, I really do have a gift for helping orient others to their gifts.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Our school is very unique in that we have many talented artists. I am the teacher advisor for MHS Rock Band Club. Every year, we host Battle of the Bands. It was put on pause during Covid, but last year, we brought the program back. I remember sitting in the audience watching one group I worked with all semester perform a Rage Against the Machine song and I literally got chills of pride up my spine. I love watching students create and express themselves.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would take half to pay off debt that I would invest in my new Media Literacy and Culture class. In the class, students learn how to analyze media (spotting misinformation, fake news, etc.), but they also broadcast morning announcements (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ioi4cg5ZLiQ). Unfortunately, I do not have a Career Technical certification, so our technology is limited (we currently use an iPhone 14 as a camera). I would purchase nice SLR cameras iMacs for editing.