Jim Garrett:
CLASS OF 1985
Benicia High SchoolClass of 1985
Benicia, CA
Petaluma High SchoolClass of 2006
Petaluma, CA
Montgomery High SchoolClass of 1995
Santa rosa, CA
Benicia Middle SchoolClass of 1981
Benicia, CA
Mills Elementary SchoolClass of 1979
Benicia, CA
Jim's Story
Life
I am married (1999) and have four kids (20, 20, 15, 10) and three cats (the 3 M's). We spend lots of time together and have some pretty good fun together. I have been working as a teacher (shocker?) for 18 years now with ten of them being at Petaluma High School (1996-2006 -- great experience there). I went to Sonoma State Univ. (1985-1990) and majored in physics (average student at best, but worked hard at it at least), and played a little football (here and there in some games) too. After that I went ahead and acquired my teaching credential and was a graduate assistant coach at SSU before getting out into the world. I have had a wonderful time for the most part teaching high school science. The subjects, the kids, and being creative are usually the best parts definitely, and the whole politics thing is what stinks; but it is not that bad yet to warrant me leaving the profession.
Life has been really good to me actually. High school was fun, college even better, single life was great, and now married life is superb!!
I always end up telling my students that their lives will only get better in the future because that is the great thing about the future it always holds a promise of hope, for things to be even better than the past.
I have managed to do some traveling to Australia (1995), work at football camps with pro players (late 80's), and summer camps (Cloverleaf Ranch in Santa Rosa 92-94). I have done the day laborer stuff and worked as a landscaper too. All of it pretty enjoyable too. Some of these things can really make one appreciate their place in life and how hard some people have to work in life. Another reason why I like my job...teaching is really not as hard as it may seem, really. If you have your act together and you're organized and you know your subject it usually goes pretty smoothly.
In the summer of 2006 I moved to Oregon, after living in Sonoma County (Rohnert Park) for 21 years. The Bend, OR area has been an outdoor eden with so many things to do: biking, running, hiking, golfing, boating, swimming in rivers and lakes, camping, fishing, skiing, boarding, sledding in the snow, etc. There is ...Expand for more
a real change in the seasons when you live here in Oregon. Warm in the summer, snow (BOO!!!) in the winter, leaves turning in the autumn, and the green of spring (if there is a spring at all). I am still teaching. We have family here too.
If you are looking to contact me you can go through Facebook. It is free and there are many of our fellow graduates there too.
I always wanted to be a scientist when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a nice idea. As it turns out, they were correct.
Go for a good run or watch a great movie is how I like to blow off steam and relax.
If I'm going to work somewhere, I need to have fun, clear objectives, and organization to be able to deal with the day-to-day.
If I could improve my home, I'd remodel all bathrooms and add on a storage shed. My dream home would be with my family.
What I have learned from my children is to be more patient. I have learned how to maintain having fun in life too.
If I won $100 million, I'd give 1/2 of it to my wife, then spend the rest on our kids' education, a house in Sonoma County and pay off all other debts..
I strongly encourage everyone who goes to college to live for at least one year in the dorms for the experience.
My current age is over 40. When I was 12, I thought that people my age now would be ancient. I was so completely wrong.
I still love wearing shorts and t-shirts whenever possible. I still wear bandanas when I work outside or workout.
I have my high school and college diplomas framed. I still have my conference championship ring from 1991 when the Sonoma State Cossacks took the conference title from UC Davis in football. I still have my plaque for being the Golden Globe Winner for 1985 as the all-around scholar, athlete, and leader my senior year in high school.
I get one do over. What would it be? I would look for my wife sooner in life as we were very close to one another and did not realize it at the time.
My first job was at my girl friend's house working for her father, where I got paid $5.00/hr in 1984 & 1985 to do all sorts of yard work and landscaping. What I remember most about it is it was actually quite rewarding..
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