Carl Chiles

Tell us why you became a teacher

After a sever injury in 1997. The emergency room orthopedic surgeon said that I would no longer be able to continue working like I was. He asked, "What are you going to do now?" I answered, "I will go back to school and become a teacher." Confused, he said "That was fast. What kind of teacher are you going to be?" I quickly replied, "A kindergarten or high school shop teacher. That way I can have a lifelong impact of my students." The lives impacted since 97 make me smile every day in class.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

While teaching an architectural design class on 9/11/2001 a hall monitor came in and turned on CNN as the second plane hit. There were "Structural experts" talking about how the towers would not fail since they were built like a pipe. I immediately started the discussion why they were wrong and why the second tower would fail first because a pipe melts and fails with weight above the fire. Several of those students went on to become structural engineers, architects and teachers.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Our high school is interested in bringing back the construction, manufacturing and design labs next school year. As an urban district, money is always tight and my labs typically did not get all the supplies students needed for projects. That money will go a long way to help fill the funding gap without requiring charge students fees for their projects.