Josh Heethuis, a Math and Theatre Teacher at St. Johns Middle School in St. Johns, Michigan, loves working with his students every day, no matter the subject.
Originally from Muskegon, Michigan, Heethuis graduated from Michigan State University in 2001 with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, followed by a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction in 2006. During his years of education at MSU, Heethuis was involved with the university’s music programs, having played trombone in the Spartan Marching Band and Spartan Brass pep band.
Heethuis has spent the entirety of his 23-year teaching career with St. John Public Schools, most of which has been spent teaching eighth grade math at St. Johns Middle School. He also teaches an “Intro to Theatre” elective course and directs the school’s spring musical each year.
“My goal as an educator is to create a space where students can build relationships and feel comfortable exploring new concepts,” Heethuis shared. “Those things look different in a math class versus a theatre course, but the mission remains the same: to get kids excited about learning new things and seeking new experiences.”
Heethuis doesn’t just get his students excited about learning inside the classroom—he has worked with ETI to bring them out onto the road to experience the magic of student travel.
“I’ve taken three different groups of middle school students to Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. As part of the festival, our kids perform a 15-minute cut of one of our productions and receive adjudicated feedback,” Heethuis said. “They also have the opportunity to participate in workshops on acting, music and dance alongside students their age from all over the world.”
While on the trip, Heethuis and his students also take advantage of the great tourist attractions in the area, from the World of Coke and the Georgia Aquarium to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
“I love watching our kids interact with other students their age from other parts of the world through their common love of the arts,” Heethuis said, noting the biggest takeaway for his students has been learning that there are students just like them all over the world who also love theatre. “You can't put a price tag on providing students with real world experiences outside of the classroom. If you have the opportunity to travel with your students, I would absolutely recommend it.”
Heethuis—who discovered ETI through first-hand experience from other educators in his district—has enjoyed working with the company for his trips.
“ETI has always been really supportive of our work and makes organizing the logistics of a trip so easy!”
Courtesy of ETI.
Photos courtesy of Josh Heethuis.
