WOODBURY— Nonnewaug 1997 graduate Jason Eckman is back and here to stay.
Eckman moved on from his showing career to come and help out as an assistant farmhand at NHS.
“I just retired from my shoeing career and wanted to look for a job that I could pass on my vast knowledge in the horse industry, homesteading, and livestock,” Eckman said. “I’m also an alumni, I graduated here in 1997 so it’s kind of full circle coming back and I went through the vo-ag department and really enjoyed it. So if I could pass on that knowledge and help out the future generation then I’m all for it.”
Being Eckman’s first year at Nonnewaug he’s already taken a large weight off of the other agriscience teachers.
Katie Gorman, an ag production teacher at Nonnewaug has first hand experience on how well Eckman has been doing.
“He’s only been here for a short time, but he’s already taking some of that stress and weight off of the agriscience teachers,” Gorman continues. “We sit in the department meeting room and we have this long list of things that we need to do and then we look at the list and see that Mr. Eckman can do that so that I can do these other 700 things that are on the list, and that sort of ability to let yourself relax and figure out how to move forward has been very beneficial.”
Eckman hopes that this year he can accomplish everything that is needed from him; he wants to be able to help out both the students and his fellow teachers.
“I want to be able to help out the other departments, the teachers are all spread very thin, so my goal and game plan is to be able to utilize my skills to ease their daily tasks, help teach with the kids, just ground maintenance, you name it,” Eckman said. “So if I could accomplish all those things as well as learn about all the different departments I think that would be great for this year.”
Only four months into the school year and Eckman’s impact on the agriscience department is already paying dividends.
“We’re starting to not drown, we’re starting to swim and that makes us all happy, no one wants to feel like they’re drowning,” Gorman said, remarking on how it’s been having someone with Eckman’s skills at the department’s disposal. “He’s fitting in so well within our department.”
