As kids, many of us believed teachers lived at the school. Possibly because students thought they only existed to teach. 

Even as high schoolers, there can be a disconnection students have with teachers; they forget teachers exist outside the confines of a school building. They forget they have feelings too, they have families, friends, and hobbies.

Many teachers don’t have a lot of time to travel during the school year.

Computer science teacher Joel Pabon and his wife, history teacher Megan Pabon, both work at Oak Park High School. They have two kids. Since they are both teachers, they don’t get to take many trips throughout the school year.  During the summer of 2023, they took their kids to Walt Disney World, where even though it rained they had a lot of fun.

Other teachers spend their time doing hobbies, like math teacher Austin Patek. He likes to play strategy-based board games like Risk and chess. He also does after school tutoring on Wednesdays. 

“I enjoy playing games that make me think,” Patek said.

Family and consumer science teacher Megan Lacy enjoys reading and running. But she doesn’t have a lot of time to do her own hobbies, since she has to grade a lot of schoolwork. 

“I like to read because it’s good for your mind, and it’s fun,” Lacy said.

She teaches two interior design classes, two fashion classes, and two fashion product development classes. She also has two kids and between taking them back and forth between soccer practice and other activities, her time is limited.