Eddie is a true believer in the power of education and his story spans 40 years of service to God and country.  Twenty five years in the Air Force and 15 years as a professional educator has shaped my life experience for the good and for many.  My formal education started in small town Alabama in the 60’s and 70’s.  It was in that environment where I realized the value of a good education and how vital it would be in setting me free to realize my purpose and potential in life.   Experiencing that same success is the right and privilege of every child in America.  This why I served my country for 25 years and why I continue to serve as an educator.  I care about this country and understand that our children represent our best hope now and into our future. 

As a military veteran one of our abiding principles is to leave no man behind.  As an educator, that principle remains true for our children as well.  To paraphrase Madeline Hunter, students need to know how much we care about them, not just how much we know.  Caring cements the connection for every child creating clearer channels for the transfer of information.  That’s when real learning happens. 

Shortly after leaving home for the military I decided I wanted to become a school counselor, recognizing then the valued position these individuals held in student’s lives.  What I did not know when I made that choice was that the guiding principles of growth and development were already embedded in my DNA.  Throughout my military career I was the guy who took care of people, serving, teaching, encouraging, leading and challenging them to be more.  This and more is what we do in the business of education, and more accurately, this has been my life in or out of classroom.  I’ve written for and edited newspapers and magazines; served in foreign and remote locations around the world; and supported generals, chiefs, civilians and enlisted members of all ranks and levels.  I finished my time in the military as a superintendent and resource manager doing exactly what I was designed for:  taking care of people!

Following retirement, I worked as a campus security officer for five years before completing my Masters in School Counseling.  This position allowed me to see and experience education from a different perspective still allowing me to help students, staff and parents navigate high school.  My time at Doherty High School in Colorado Springs earned me the title of security guard counselor and proved to be one of my most rewarding experiences in education.  I completed my Masters and worked for two years at my neighborhood high school, learning the ropes, deepening my passion for education and preparing for my own continued growth and development.  After a rigorous, demanding and personally challenging two years, opportunity came when I was privileged to help open Colorado Springs Early Colleges, a new innovative public charter school on the other side of town.

Opening the doors that first day with approximately 300 students enrolled gave me yet another opportunity to expand my base.  I served on the administrative team, served as the lead for the school counseling team, but more importantly it provided me with a deeper understanding of the power of dual/concurrent enrollment.  This experience proved once again that the possibilities are endless when student growth and success are your #1 priority.

Relocating to South Carolina at the peak of this educational experience to support family only served to fuel my passion for service and sharing even more.  I continued my work with students through church, coaching and volunteering through a local non-profit and eventually as a substitute for the county school district.  My breathe of experience and skill with students made me the sub of choice for two district schools for the year until opportunity knocked again at York Preparatory Academy,  a k-12 public charter school in a neighboring county.  Signing on as the senior counselor on staff, I worked as the Intermediate School Counselor supporting 5^th – 8^th grade students.  It was also at this location where I became a state certified mentor and supervisor primarily for the elementary school, where I also had the privilege of serving their students solo for a semester.

Ultimately, what I hope you get from this is that my life of service and personal development has been and continues to be about helping others.  I believe in education as a way of life for me because I am an educator at heart.  Educators are learners who share what they know so others can learn and share what they know in order for all lives to be better.  This happens in the classroom, on the athletic field, through military service, through our faith choices, and simply throughout life.  I look forward to sharing my life with you.  Let’s talk soon.  I look forward to the conversation…