Q + A: English teacher Gary Henderson
English teacher Gary Henderson tries to finish putting in grades.
May 9, 2014
Being an English teacher, a coach, and the athletic director, Gary Henderson loves coming to work every day. He has the moments where he has not ever wanted to get out of his car and walk in to Tracy High.He genuinely enjoys what he does and the people he works with, but it’s no fun making up when he misses a day of school. He has been teaching at Tracy High School for 18 years.
What is your favorite movie and why? “‘Planes, Trains, and Automobiles’ is my go-to movie. It’s a good laugh. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite when it comes to topics like that, but that movie always seems to come to mind as memorable for its lighter look at life.”
If you could have any super power, what you have? “Well, I’ve always wanted to fly an airplane, so I think I would choose to fly.”
What is your favorite restaurant to eat? “It’s called the Water Front. It is in Maui and you can watch the sunset on the beach.They prepare an incredible opakapaka (Hawaiian pink snapper) that just seems to go with the whole vibe of being on the islands and watching the sunset while having dinner. ”
What was you first car? “1976 Wood Panel GMC. It was black, hideous, and had it for a year.”
What is your favorite day of the week? “Sunday because during NFL season. My favorite team is the San Francisco 49ers. I also love to go to church. It also gives me time to hang out with family.
What is the best thing about teaching at Tracy High? “The staff and the students are awesome. Sometimes the new things that come up are from great people who work here.”
If someone else were to describe you, what would they say? “Not sure I want to know, but I think they would say low-key, friendly, honest, loyal, hard-working with a touch sarcasm – and I hope they would say just ‘a nice regular dude,’.”
What did you want to be when you were younger? “I wanted to be a professional athlete, but I was realistic about that. I wanted to be a doctor or an engineer. I even thought about becoming a teacher.”
What makes you happy? “We have a saying that hangs in our house that says, ‘We may not have it all together, but together we have it all’ – I think that says it perfectly.”
Where did you go to college? “I went to Cal State Hayward. Location for the most part. I majored in English/Literature. It was convenient (close and cheap) and could graduate quickly. I coached down the hill from the campus and had another job locally too.”
How did you end up at Tracy High? “There was a job opening! Fate apparently.”
Did you play any sports? “Football, basketball, track extensively. Almost everything recreationally.”
What do you coach here at Tracy High? “I have coached football, track, cross country, and golf. (little league baseball and youth soccer, too). I have stepped down from coaching the high school sports to concentrate on athletic director duties at this point.”
