Science teacher Jonathan Gray first came to Trinity in 2011, teaching science to the first members of the class of 2018. Now, as those seniors walk across the stage this June, Gray too will be moving on.
Gray’s journey to Trinity started after he received a call from Kathy Pison, the Director of Curriculum at the time. Gray had previously been an environmental science educator based in Brunswick, GA. In the wake of the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, he was open to looking far away from his home if the right job presented itself.
After Pinson’s call, Gray came to the school to visit and interview.
“Everyone was so nice and friendly,” Gray said. “It seemed like a place where I could really start my career.”
Gray started off by teaching 6th-grade science and both AP and regular environmental science. He later moved on to teach Florida Ecology, a course he created and designed himself, along with teaching a year of Independent Research in the Sciences. Throughout the years, however, Gray has always taught 6th-grade classes.
“I remember George Perkins coming in every day and singing, and I have him as a senior now in Florida Ecology. He [still] comes in every day—singing,” Gray said. “It’s been great to see the 6th grade student and the senior student and how they’ve changed and how they’ve stayed the same in a lot of ways.”
Outside of the classroom, Gray has been active in Trinity’s drumline and numerous ecology projects, such as starting a vegetable and herb garden along with a native plant garden.
The native plant garden was the creation of his Florida Ecology class last year. He mentioned how a small group of quiet students was hesitant in his class at first but blossomed after spearheading the creation of the garden.
“I put this emphasis on them directing their learning, and they took it and ran with it,” Gray said. “It was an awesome class.”
Gray first proposed a drumline to former headmaster Craig Maughan after hearing college students practicing drums on Trinity’s field. Though they started with no equipment, Gray helped lead the drumline to become an integral part of Trinity athletics. One of his favorite memories, in fact, is that of the drumline’s battle with Lake Highland following a varsity football game last school year.
“[I loved] the drumline battle that we had last year in the rain,” Gray said. “All the fans came in the middle of the field. You would have expected everyone to go home because it was nasty out, but they stayed. Mr. Lawson was there, other teachers were there, fans were there, and we played. We sounded great, they sounded great, [and] everyone was having a good time. It was more than I could hope for when we first started. I went home that night and couldn’t fall asleep; it was such a cool experience.”
Within the academic setting, Gray said that it is the students he taught that have left the biggest impact in his life.
“I love the teachers that I’ve worked with for my seven years, but even more than my colleagueship with the faculty, I really love the kids here,” Gray said. “The kids want to learn; they really seem to get that … they just seem so happy to be here, so willing and able to learn new things and try new things and be funny. They really make the job something that I look forward to every single day.”