What is your role in Pasco County?
I have served in many roles over my 27 years in Pasco County, including teaching, coaching and mentoring. I am currently teaching biological sciences at Pasco High School, which has offered the first Advanced Placement Environmental Science and Cambridge Biological Science courses in the County. This adds to the growing number of upper level classes offered and most importantly, prepares students for the challenging university curriculum that they will face after high school. In addition, I have coached varsity boys tennis, varsity girls tennis, varsity girls golf. Our students have won Conference, District, Regional titles, and have had two top 8 finishes in the State Tournament.
What do you love about your job?
I love to watch my students learn and grow as critical thinkers. There is no better feeling than to watch in amazement as they develop the ability to think critically, solve problems, and to use science to do it. When I have asked students how their practical test went, they would respond with, “hard, but I felt like a scientist and I figured it out!” This kind of response, as a teacher, makes me beam because I know that I had a part in that awesome moment.
Who or what inspires you?
Honestly, it’s my students. The relationships that I share with my students inspire me every day. Having students who choose to be in my class gives me an opportunity to take them to the limit of their knowledge and ride that edge - that’s where the true growth comes from and this allows them to unlock their true potential.
Tell us something unique that people may not know about you.
Music has been an important part of my life. It helps me center myself and allows me to use the other side of my brain to create music. Through the years, I’ve been in numerous bands and my favorite one was a Pink Floyd tribute band called “Floyd the Barber.”
The person who nominated Mr. Charlick shared, “He truly makes learning fun all the while teaching students skill sets that they will use when pursuing higher education.”
