A long time teacher at Stillwater High School got his start in teaching by having two impactful teachers while he was a Pioneer himself.

Criminology and sociology teacher Mr. Jason Carley was the student of former principal and superintendent Mr. Uwe Gordon, who got Carley interested in teaching history.

“It was really those two teachers who made me want to start teaching history,” Carley said. The second teacher was Mr. Kennedy,w ho no longer teaches at SHS and who was Carley’s U.S. History teacher his junior year.

Mr. Carley said he has been teaching at SHS for almost 28 years, having upwards of 200 kids a year. He has taught almost 6,000 kids in that time period. Carley said he likes to give those students advice on whatever they need.

“One that I try to live by is that we all make mistakes,” Carley said. He added that he was given that advice by one of the teachers who inspired him to become a teacher.

Many former current students had positive opinions on Carley and his class.

“I liked the energy he brought to the class even when he was having a bad day,” Kellen Weaver said.