As a teenager in the 1970’s, there were the stereotypical groups like the jocks and the geeks. School was all about fitting in and having friends who share the same interests. For John Walker he was the type of teenager who was never categorized as a jock nor a geek; he was right in the middle and that is what he loved about his time at Antioch. Walker graduated from Antioch Community High School in 1975.

Walker participated in sports including football for all four years, basketball for two years and experimented with both track and baseball for one year each. Unfortunately, he never continued with any of the sports after his high school career, but he did become a fan of jogging. He also became involved with a job during and after high school at the Antioch Jewel. He worked there both junior and senior year and continued for four years after high school.

Walker became involved with Antioch Community High School after he graduated. He became a coach for the football team for 20 years, a baseball coach for a couple years and also served as a substitute teacher for physical education classes toward the beginning of his career.

“I did not know I’d be a teacher when I graduated. I started off being a sub. I did P.E. at first and enjoyed it because I got to do softball during class,” said Walker.

Walker decided he wanted to be a full-time teacher and applied at many schools for teaching jobs including Antioch Upper Grade School (AUGS) and ACHS. Walker did not receive a job at AUGS and was very disappointed because that was his first choice. ACHS offered Walker a job, and he took it without questioning it.

The saying “Once a Sequoit, always a Sequoit” is a true statement in Walker’s life because he returned to Antioch and has not regretted any minute of his time back here.

“You get to teach at the place you went to school at, and it just brings back past experiences and you get to look back at certain things,” said Walker.

Walker will be retiring from his position as a United States history teacher and the department chair of the social studies department at the end of the 2014-2015 school year.

https://vimeo.com/81459638