A Long Way to the Beach with David Wehunt
David Wehunt
Science Teacher
Soddy Daisy High School
Soddy Daisy, Tennessee
When I was growing up as the second oldest of 10 in Tennessee, one of my favorite TV shows was the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. I would imagine exploring the ocean and the wild lands of the world, and that lead me to getting a B.S. degree in natural resource management. Fast forward to the 1990s: I went back to school and got certified to teach eight subjects, but focused on biology. After teaching in three different schools from 1985 to 1990, I settled down at Soddy Daisy High School in 1992 and still teach there today—I still have not retired!
However, back to the 90s: I met a young woman named Robyn Dobyns who convinced me to join Tennessee Educators for Aquatic and Marine Sciences (TEAMS), one of NMEA’s regional chapters. Robyn led a group of teachers on a Professional Development trip to the shores of North Carolina sponsored by the Tennessee Aquarium and the Public Ed Foundation. We learned a lot about coastal Carolina, and I was hooked! Then Robyn shared an application for Operation Pathfinder, and I met the second person who drew me to marine science: Lundie Spence. In 1997, Lundie selected an inlander to participate, and while participating I joined Mid-Atlantic Marine Educators Association (MAMEA) and the National Marine Educators Association and have been a member of both ever since. So, for those keeping score, I belong to TEAMS (for whom I am the Chapter Rep to NMEA), MAMEA and NMEA, and I have over 30 years in the classroom as a teacher. Before teaching, I was an Infantry officer in the military and worked various jobs to pay the bills.
Since I have been at Soddy Daisy High School (going on 28 years), I created a Marine Science class, which I taught for many years—sharing with my students the importance of the oceans, which many of my students have never seen! To improve my knowledge of environmental education, I have spent a lot of time participating in Professional Development opportunities, such as the ARMADA Project, Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Fulbright Japan, and School of Rock, just to name a few. I also captain a zone in our annual regional river clean-up, known as River Rescue. We emphasize to our students that even though we don't have an ocean we still have an impact on the ocean!
I have spent the last 20+ years teaching students about the ocean and our responsibility in protecting it.
Trawling with Friends
Feeding Giraffes at Teacher Conservation Workshop
JOIDES Resolution School of Rock examining cores
Gil and Dave on the Equator
David teaches Biology and Environmental Science at Soddy Daisy High School in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. He is a staunch advocate for Professional Development, as evidenced by the extensive list of programs that he’s participated in since 1995—including over 20 national and international programs and 40 regional programs from organizations like National Geographic, COSSEE, IODP, the Tennessee Aquarium, and many others. He is always happy to chat with anyone about these opportunities, so be sure to tap in to his vast experience!
If you’ve been to a regional or national science education conference in the last 20+ years, chances are you’ve run into David! He has attended and presented at a variety of conferences, including MAMEA, NMEA, TEAMS, NSTA, TSTA, and TEEA. We look forward to seeing him again at the #NMEA2020 conference in Honolulu, Hawai’i!
