Teachers: What They Do For Fun After School?

By Noah Frankel, Gg Gallagher, Adam Nolan, Evan Palmer, Online Head of Layout, Print Arts Section Editor, Business Team Member, and Staff Writer

Graphic by Cara Hamilton, Head of Illustrations

Teachers have a world outside of school and grading assignments. Many Acalanes teachers spend their time with family and friends along with several hobbies and commitments. 

Jennifer Gilson

   Outside of work and caring for her kids, Advanced Placement (AP) Precalculus and AP Computer Science Principles teacher Jennifer Gilson enjoys a variety of hobbies in her free time.

   “I love reading,” Gilson said. “I can't read very many books during the school year, but in the summer, my goal is to read 5 books.”

   At her home, she also dedicates time to her backyard garden, tending to a wide variety of plants. 

   “I really like gardening,” Gilson said. “I know about lots of different kinds of flowers, and I like to plant bulbs in the fall, and I have Irises, Tulips, and Bougainvillea in my yard.” 

   In addition to gardening and reading, Gilson also spends time taking photos. She first started this hobby many years ago. 

   “I've been a photographer since high school. I was the school newspaper photographer and I did all the sports photography ... when I got older and cameras became digital cameras, then I got really into digital photography editing,” Gilson said. 

  Since then, she has used Adobe Lightroom and occasionally takes photos for people in the community. 

   “I’ll do it if someone asks me to, but I don't charge because I'm not a professional,” Gilson said. “This year and last year, I did all of the photos for Unified soccer and basketball.”

Katherine Walton 

   Activities Director Katherine Walton spends time exercising and staying active while not teaching and running the leadership program.

   “I do like to really work out,” Walton said. “I love to hike and walk around as well ... I work out at Orangetheory 3 to 4 times a week.”    

   In addition to Walton exercising and going to the gym, she spends her time taking care of her kids. 

   “My second [activity] would be carting my kids to all of their sports. I enjoy watching them and I spend a lot of time doing that,” Walton said. 

   Walton also enjoys traveling with her family and exploring new places. She enjoys spending time with friends and family. 

   “The perfect afternoon would be going on a hike and then meeting friends for an early dinner,” Walton said. “That would be like a perfect day.”

Julee Henderson

   Many teachers try to find time to slow down after a long day of teaching, and you can find AP Calculus and Algebra 1 teacher Julee Henderson spending her time outside staying active. 

   “You’ll find me running or power walking, exploring the many beautiful trails around the area, or putting miles in on my road bike,” Henderson said.

   When Henderson is not running to clear her head and stay energized in the classroom, she is training for a half-marathon, logging 20 or more miles per week. 

   “Next month, I’ll be running the Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt County – it’s a gorgeous course through the redwoods,” Henderson said.

   When Henderson wants to slow down, she loves diving into a new book or cracking open a fresh puzzle.

   “I enjoy getting lost in a good novel – especially stories about powerful women or historical fiction,” Henderson said. “I’m also a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast, and I make sure to carve out time to just hang out with friends and decompress.”

Chris Clark

   Chris Clark's love for cooking is undeniable, and he spends time specializing in his Italian dishes that are connected to his roots. Growing up with his Italian grandparents in the house, he developed a strong connection and love for the art of cooking by watching his grandparents cook.

   “I grew up eating pasta and ravioli,” Clark said. “Seldom do I have opportunities to make fresh pasta.That's just not what my schedule allows ... I'll make you know, sauce from scratch, bolognese from scratch and things like that. It's kind of like my go to thing that I make.”

      Aside from his love of cooking, when time allows, Clark also enjoys a game of golf with his friends.

   “I'm woefully terrible at the game of golf, but it's just fun to get out with some buddies and just kind of go,” Clark said. 

   Being very close with his own parents and growing up with his grandparents, Clark values time with his family. On the weekends, he strives to spend time with his wife and kids.

   “I don't have a lot of free time to go hang out with people, just because my weekends are so precious with my family,” Clark said. “Whether it's cooking meals so that we can sit down together and maybe watch our favorite Disney show.”