Who is Mr. Badger?

Raised in Hollister, CA and trained as a teacher at Cal Poly, SLO, I now reside in the quaint dala-horse hamlet known as Kingsburg. There, I enjoy spending time with Cara, my wife of fifteen years, and our two daughters, Rebekah and Sadie. We also have two small dogs named Prancer (a Chihuahua) and Pepper (a Papillon). This will be my 11th year teaching in Dinuba, both at WIS and now DHS.

I also am a firm believer in the notion of adventure. Adventure involves trying new things, painful growth, and yes, even discomfort. And also beauty and wonder. It's good stuff. You should try it. Often, I'll adventure deep into the mountains or into a good book. Lately, my adventures have involved me earning a master's degree in Educational Technology from CSU Fullerton. This year, I'll be applying that training in the classroom as we seek to be tech creators and innovators, not simply users. The more you look, adventure awaits!

A word about our current situation. It has been a difficult season, to put it lightly. Personally, I lost my grandpa and my wife lost her grandma this summer. My dad also had a serious stroke but thankfully is now recovering. Due to COVID-19, we were not able to grieve and heal normally, and I still have not been able to see my dad in person due to hospital restrictions. It is heart-crushing. I mourn for these losses and the incalculable losses brought on not only by COVID-19 but by the foolishness of our elected officials. I also have been listening, learning, and lending my voice to the cause of justice in our country. For too long, racial inequities have been allowed to persist, supported by policies and systems that favor white supremacy. America has continued, in the words of the great MLK, to write "bad checks" to the most vulnerable in our nation, a practice that must stop. There's no time like the present. There's no day like today to stand up for truth, justice, and compassion.