Once upon a time, Bexley teachers were high school students. They were just like students today: exploring options, contemplating possible careers and looking for any possible source of money. Before they were educators writing lesson plans, they were students filling out job applications and punching in time cards.
English teacher Chad Hemmelgarn said that he held numerous jobs during his teenage years. Some of these jobs included newspaper carrier, snow shoveler, UPS truck loader, DJ and a city streets and parks crew member, Hemmelgarn added.
Hemmelgarn said that one of his favorite parts of his jobs was getting to know his co-workers.
“I believe that you can do any job so long as you work with fun people,” Hemmelgarn explained.
Like Hemmelgarn, Latin teacher Alan Corn said that he met many new people at his teenage jobs.
“There was a guy named Bob Jones and he had a wooden leg,” Corn said. “When Bob got mad, he would take his leg off and put it on a table and hop around on one leg, which was very strange.”
Corn worked at the shipping department for Beckman Instruments, a company that made biomedical instruments.
Business teacher Chris Maisenbacher said that he had a different experience in his high school years. He started a grass cutting and landscaping business with his brother.
Maisenbacher said while he disliked mowing grass and digging holes, overall he found his job to be rewarding.
“When you got finished landscaping a whole building, it’s nice to see that you’ve accomplished something,” Maisenbacher explained.
For Hemmelgarn, some memorable moments came from more negative experiences.
“Each job has its own gems, really…crashing through two garage doors in my parents’ van on icy mornings, frigidness of shoveling snow, lame class reunions as a DJ,” Hemmelgarn explained.
Hemmelgarn added that these experiences made him appreciate those who work these jobs for a living. He encourages students to take advantage of these types of opportunities.
“Don’t be afraid to try something completely out of character or believe any job is below you,” Hemmelgarn said. “[Working] builds character and makes you appreciate your career later in life.”
Corn also said that he gained respect for his co-workers.
“Maybe the worst part was watching people who had no future at all, working in this shipping yard, who had high school education or less, making $2.10 an hour,” Corn said. “I learned that there was a world of work out there that had a lot of people working really hard and if you applied yourself, you could be appreciated,” Corn said.
Corn added that he felt appreciated at his job and the boss even offered him a higher position.
“He called me and asked me to come back because I was such a good worker,” Corn said.
Corn said that he did not take the job because he was going to college, but in hindsight he wonders what it would have been like if he had stayed at Beckman Instruments.
“I could’ve been running Beckman Instruments today…instead of teaching at Bexley High School,” Corn said. “I could have retired a long time ago.”
Hemmelgarn said that he wouldn’t change much about his working experiences.
“I would have worn gloves this time around cleaning the sewers, but that’s about it,” Hemmelgarn said.
