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ChildhoodBORN IN OKLAHOMA CITY ON AUGUST 25, 1965
Had two girlfriends at age three Once solved Rubik’s Cube in 23 seconds Lived on a farm WORN GLASSES SINCE THIRD GRADE 
Attended a two-room schoolhouse
Read 418 books in first grade Won second place in fourth grade spelling bee WAS A CUB SCOUT Was a “dolphin” at the YMCA Took gymnastics classes Learned shorthand in high school People with whom I've Been in the Same Room
"Nick" Clifford, an original Mount Rushmore carver
Brad Pitt’s babysitter George H.W. Bush (also drove behind his motorcade) Had conversations with Bob Hope twice ATE LUNCH WITH MARILYN MONROE Received money from Pam Anderson Shook hands with Sam Walton's daughter AnimalsDislike cats
OWNED A TURTLE THAT DANCED TO MUSIC Had a pet raccoon Had a pet brahma bull 
Freed a wild possum from a running clothes dryer
RODE A CAMEL AND AN ELEPHANT Had a pet Gopher Bottle fed a dolphin calf Was a beekeeper Wrestled a full-grown African lioness HERDED AMERICAN BUFFALO ON FOOT Skinned 700 pounds of catfish without a break Played with a black bear, mountain lion, and timber wolf Regularly fed a timber rattlesnake Freed a wild possum from a running clothes dryer Rode a camel and an elephant SOLD GERBILS WHOLESALE Swam with dolphins and tropical fish FamilyMarried on Tuesday, December 17, 1991
Have one daughter and one son Parents married since 1963 Brother has spent time in a women’s prison GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT FOURTH GRADE Grandmother born in Indian Territory Grandmother was topic of David Letterman monologue joke Related to Red Skelton Related to President James Buchanan, RELATED TO JOHN WAYNE Related to Missouri's General Omar Bradley Grandpa raised racehorses Grandpa built his own personal computer ChurchFull time Christian
PREACHED ON THE RADIO Lead singing in worship Read the Bible from cover to cover Preached for churches in Roff, Chickasha, and Grove, OK PREACHED FOR CHURCHES IN COLUMBUS AND FT. SCOTT, KS Preached in Joplin, Greenfield, Nevada, Spring City, and Washburn, MO On the JobEnjoy creative writing
Wore overalls to state teachers convention Enjoy public speaking Was manager and education director for outdoor family park RECEIVED ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SERVICE AND SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Worked as a school custodian Owned a small town newspaper Was offered a management position at Silver Dollar City Worked for the United States Air Force WAS TOUR GUIDE AT A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT Drove solar-powered vehicles Global Moderator for an Internet Forum Screen-tested finalist for a national television show, July 2014 WROTE FOUR BOOKS OF MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION Performing ArtsPlayed drums in high school and college
Performed on Grand Ole Opry stage Won awards for public speaking WAS IN A BAND WITH ELVIS PRESLEY'S TRUMPET PLAYER Performed in Annie, Get Your Gun and If a Man Answers 
Danced with Sioux Indians
WORKED ON STAGE FOR THE NATIONALLY-TOURING MUSICAL, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Voiced commercials for radio and television Performed in community theater in two states, including at Joplin Little Theatre ATTENDED TOURING PERFORMANCE OF CATS Attended touring performance of Annie Attended touring performance of Beauty and the Beast Attended touring performance of Peter Pan Attended touring performance of Camelot Attended touring performance of The Lion King (twice) SAW JAMES DOOHAN Saw James Doohan Attended touring performance of Cinderella Was guest on Living Well Was guest on Local News Today Was guest on Good Morning Four States PLAYED DRUMS FOR PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN Saw costumes from Wizard of Oz, Lincoln, Batman, and other movies Saw props from Twister, Men in Black, Harry Potter, and other movies
Money
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Things I've Touched
Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral wagon
Original telegraph pole from the 1860s 500-YEAR-OLD DUGOUT CANOE The moon Pieces of the 1817 White House A 1742 British musket A 1795 surgeon's powder horn COMMISSION PAPERS OF THE MARQUIS DE LOTBINIÈR, SIGNED BY KING LOUIS XIV 1731 book, printed in Nuremberg, describing the design of star forts Cannon acquired by Henry Knox George Washington's stair rail Andrew Jackson's stair rail ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S STAIR RAIL The Alamo Almonzo Wilder's cobbler anvil The Berlin Wall Blast windows from Mission Control (Apollo launches) CONTROL PANEL FROM HOUSTON MISSION CONTROL "Dorothy II" prop from Twister Susan Lucci’s, Hillary Duff’s, and LL Cool J’s sleeves Concerning History
Spent the night in a facility owned by original seven astronauts
Spent a week (around the clock) on George Washington's estate SAW SANTA ANNA'S LEG Saw Abraham Lincoln's Blood Santa Fe Trail (road in a covered wagon) Saw William Clark's sword Saw George Washington's sword SAW DANIEL BOONE'S RIFLE Watched sunrises from George Washington’s piazza Potomac River (watched a bald eagle fly over) Prayed amidst the enslaved burials at Mount Vernon Sang the national anthem at George Washington's tomb STOOD ON THE DECK OF A CIVIL WAR BATTLESHIP Spent a week at Fort Ticonderoga Saw Lord Howe Floated La Chute River in a bateau in a thunderstorm SAW GEORGE WASHINGTON'S TEETH Saw Apollo XIII Saw Yuri Gagarin's capsule & uniform from 1st manned space flight Saw Jimmy Carter's high chair I Was ThereStood atop of the Missouri capitol dome
Walked under Nixon's Air Force One plane on the ground SAW TWO WASHINGTON MONUMENTS Went underground in two gold mines and one salt mine Stood atop the highest point in Missouri Visited Silver Dollar City when it was closed Went backstage at Silver Dollar City's Opera House SPENT THE NIGHT OUTSIDE THE DFW AIRPORT Visited Antique Archeology (owned by Mike Wolfe of American Pickers) Played on the field at OU’s Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Dances with Wolves, National Treasure, and National Treasure 2 locations
I SurvivedHouse fire during youth
The April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City Bombing and wrote a book about it THE MAY 22, 2011, EF5 JOPLIN TORNADO AND WROTE A BOOK ABOUT IT The CVD-19 pandemic of 2020 (so far) Gravesites Visited
Teaching
2021 MISSOURI HISTORY TEACHER OF THE YEAR
2021 semi-finalist, National History Teacher of the Year Recognized, 2021 Joplin Globe H.O.O.T. award Was adjunct instructor at Missouri Southern State University Nominated 3 times, Teacher of the Year, Buchanan Elementary, Oklahoma City 2001 nominee, Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching SELECTED FOR 2021 COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG TEACHER INSTITUTE Graduated from Tuttle High School in 1983 Graduated University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 1985 Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1990 GRADUATE DEAN'S SCHOLAR WITH 4.0 AVERAGE Wife graduated from University of Central Oklahoma Oklahoma City Schools grant winner Have taught all grades TAUGHT SINCE 1990 Taught brother of an American Idol contestant Taught wife of a contestant on The Voice Taught nephew of The Bachelor Taught at a “Segregated Negro High School” INTERVIEWED AT CECIL FLOYD DURING A TORNADO WARNING $1000 KOAM Outstanding Class Video Award Past President, Joplin Teachers Association Member, Missouri State Teachers Association Masters Degree in Teaching from Pittsburg State University in 1999 WROTE CURRICULUM FOR JOPLIN SCHOOLS Coached the Cecil Floyd M4+H LE46UE Supervised scoring of MAP test for the state Served on Joplin Schools Strategic Planning Committee Worked for 12 principals in 3 schools in 2 districts (not counting summer school and assistant principals) PRESENT TEACHER WORKSHOPS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS Was Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) senior leader Served on Teacher of the Year Committee, Joplin Schools Wrote two teacher guide books 2001/5 nominee, Disney’s American Teacher Awards 2002 PDK/KODE Excellent Educational Program Award 2004 GOLDEN APPLE AWARD RECIPIENT 2004/5 Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers 2005/6 Joplin Schools Teacher of the Year 2005/6 candidate, Missouri Teacher of the Year Mentored, Technology Leadership Academy Served on state Social Studies and Math assessment committees AWARD-WINNING CLASSROOM WEBSITE Taught a Cecil Floyd teacher Masters Degree in Teaching from Pittsburg State University in 1999 Wrote curriculum for Joplin Schools WAS CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIST, JOPLIN SCHOOLS Served on Joplin Schools Salary, Dropout, Salary, Calendar, Textbook Selection, Teacher of the Year, and Superintendent's Advisory Committees Taught at Cecil Floyd Elementary longer than any teacher currently on staff HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL STUDENTS Miscellaneous
LIVED IN 24 STATES AND 3 COUNTRIES
Lived in Joplin area since 1995 Have seasonal allergies Don’t gamble, smoke, curse, or drink alcoholic beverages Never taken illegal drugs NEVER TASTED COFFEE Do not have a favorite color Voted in every presidential election since 1984 Own a registered copyright Have a Joplin Public Library card ATE LUNCH WITH A HOMELESS MAN |
