The Next Chapter

In 2024, I announced that I was quitting my high paying tech job to become a high school computer science teacher. This Big Scary Thing™, as I called it, was a huge leap of faith; I had no formal experience in education, but I had spent years volunteering in classrooms and mentoring students, and had an opportunity to take a break from my burnout that I simply couldn't turn down. After two years, I can safely say that it was the most fulfilling professional decision I've ever made. I have had the privilege of inspiring and empowering the next generation of software developers and cybersecurity professionals, and built relationships with students that I will cherish forever. I've treasured being "the best teacher," a "trusted adult," and "like a second dad" to so many of these kids (words I will hold dear for the rest of my life); and while I have come to believe that our public education system is broken in countless ways, I have also seen firsthand the incredible potential of our…