Room 206 has a new longterm sub in place of social studies teacher Kelly Patel. Taking on the role of teaching freshmen modern U.S history and government for juniors and seniors is Charles Rowley, the newest addition to Stoughton High School’s teaching community. He graduated this December from UW-Whitewater and studied biology—more specifically animal behavior and ecology. He’s also an SHS alumnus, who graduated in 2017. Below are some snippets of Rowley’s personality.

NM: What got you into teaching?
CR: I’m not really sure. I guess I needed something to do after school, and I always thought [teaching] might be something I’d like to do. So I thought I’d give it a try.

NM: What are your hobbies?
CR: I like doing stuff outside. I like fishing, [playing] frisbee, golfing, canoeing, and going out with my friends.

NM: What was your favorite subject when you were in school?
CR: Biology.

NM: What would you dedicate the rest of your life to if you could dedicate it to anything?
CR: That’s a tough one. Maybe conservation [or] natural resources.

NM: What’s your favorite food?
CR: I like all sorts of food. I guess if you say sandwiches—that encompasses everything. Burgers are sandwiches, right? Pizza’s almost kind of like a sandwich.
NM: Are you sure?
CR: Well, it’s like bread and cheese stuffed inbetween, and that’s technically a sandwich.
NM: Would you consider hot dogs a sandwich?
CR: Yeah—oh yeah. A hot dog’s a sandwich. Tacos [are] sandwich hotdogs. Even a burrito is like a sandwich.
NM: I think a burrito like is a burrito.
CR: Yeah, but it’s stuff inbetween something, and that’s all a sandwich really is.

NM: If you had to bring one thing to a deserted island, what would you bring?
CR: Could it be all my fishing stuff? Could it be a canoe filled with my fishing stuff?
NM: I guess it could.
CR: Or a kayak—a kayak full of fishing stuff. That’s kind of cheating.

NM: Do you have an inspiration?
CR: I don’t know about an inspiration for being a teacher. I find inspiration in all sorts of stuff.
NM: Like what?
CR: You need to find inspiration in different places for different things that you do. You’re playing music; you look up to somebody and you find inspiration from them. You’re teaching and you think of people who have taught you before and you find inspiration there. So I think I find inspiration from all sorts of stuff.

NM: What’s your favourite genre of music?
CR: I like indie rock.

The interview was located in the history classroom, room 206. During the interview, one of Rowley’s students and Norse Star Associate Editor in Chief, Lauren Amstadt, chimed in, providing assistance for the next question.

NM: What are three words that describe you?
CR: That one’s tough, I can’t think of any—Lauren! You got three words that describe me?
LA: Umm… easily distracted?
CR: That’s two words.
LA: Okay, then I only need one more. I can think of turtle.
CR: Turtle can’t be a word that describes me.
NM: Explain turtle. What does that mean?
LA: He loves turtles.
NM: You love turtles? Why do you love turtles?
CR: I like aquatic stuff. I don’t like being badged as the turtle guy.
LA: Passionate?
CR: Passionate is a good one. Is there a word for easily distracted?
LA: Distractable.
CR: Okay, and then one more. […] Empathetic.

NM: Do you have any advice for students?
CR: Go to MATC and get a lot of your easy stuff out of the way before you decide what you want to do.
NM: What about students who want to become teachers?
CR: Go to UW-Whitewater and get an education degree.

NM: Do you have any siblings?
CR: Two.
NM: Do you like them?
CR: They’re okay.
NM: How old are they?
CR: My younger brother is 22. My older brother is 39 — he’s my half brother.

NM: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? You don’t have to worry about the price.
CR: Somewhere in South America.

NM: What’s it like teaching for Mrs. Patel?
CR: It’s alright, it’s not too bad. Could be better, could be worse.
NM: Are you going to stick with subbing for awhile?
CR: I don’t know. I have not decided yet. We’ll see how the next month or two go.

Rowley is a teacher worth getting to know. While finishing the interview, he reiterated that he didn’t want people knowing him as “the turtle guy.” So, he isn’t the turtle guy. He’s a not-turtle-guy who would choose sandwiches over any other food (though sandwiches is an umbrella term that includes pizza and burritos, according to him), would take a kayak full of fishing supplies to a deserted island, likes indie rock, is so-so about his siblings, and describes himself as distractible, passionate, and empathetic.