Lifting students to new heights
Certification Magazine|April 2020
Former Navy officer and powerlifter is helping teens build their IT muscles
CALVIN HARPER
Lifting students to new heights

Individuals are the sum of their experiences. Each event, whether good or bad, contributes to who we become. Fortunately, while experiences shape our character and influence our outlook on life, they do not determine destiny; we are always free to choose how we respond to situations and conditions.

While navigating life’s challenges is seldom easy, oftentimes it’s our interactions with others that make the difference between accepting our lot or deciding to leave familiar surroundings and strive to be more. Sometimes the right person at the right time can help set us on a path to unimagined success and joy. Such is the journey of Jay Mathis, the CTE-Cyber security teacher at Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg, Va.

Mathis was born and raised in Morristown, Tenn.— childhood haunt of famed frontiersman Davy Crockett. Sleepy little municipalities rarely offer abundant opportunities for young men fresh out of high school and Morristown had no surprises for Mathis.

After taking stock of the situation, Mathis realized that his choices were limited. “I was never a good student, and I knew that college, for me, was not an option,” he said.

Needing a job and yet not wanting to stay in Morristown, Mathis figured the Navy was at least a place to start. “I didn’t sign up out of love of country, that came later,” he admits, “all I knew was that I wanted to somehow better myself.”

Join the Navy and learn IT

In the Navy, Mathis’ first occupation choice was law enforcement. Unfortunately, the Navy was not accepting MPs at the time of his enlistment, so Mathis settled on becoming a radioman. “It was what would fulfill my obligation and get me out the quickest,” he said.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2020-Ausgabe von Certification Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2020-Ausgabe von Certification Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS CERTIFICATION MAGAZINEAlle anzeigen
Wanted: Your Cloud Computing Skills
Certification Magazine

Wanted: Your Cloud Computing Skills

Employers need cloud computing expertise, but demand is outstripping supply

time-read
6 Minuten  |
October 2020
The Job Before Your First Job
Certification Magazine

The Job Before Your First Job

An IT internship can be your strong first step toward a rewarding professional career

time-read
10 Minuten  |
October 2020
Professionalizing the CLOUD
Certification Magazine

Professionalizing the CLOUD

A conversation with the exam architect behind the hottest certification in cloud security

time-read
7 Minuten  |
October 2020
SETTING HIS SIGHTS ON SUCCESS
Certification Magazine

SETTING HIS SIGHTS ON SUCCESS

Ohio IT student has mastered computer repair, cybersecurity, and certification

time-read
10 Minuten  |
October 2020
The Typist Who Became a Technologist
Certification Magazine

The Typist Who Became a Technologist

Long time Utah IT educator got her first exposure to computers in high school

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
October 2020
Pick a Cloud, Any Cloud
Certification Magazine

Pick a Cloud, Any Cloud

Which cloud computing models best support business aims — and which ones should you learn?

time-read
7 Minuten  |
October 2020
Here, There, and Everywhere
Certification Magazine

Here, There, and Everywhere

Distributed cloud computing is bringing the cloud closer to all of us

time-read
7 Minuten  |
October 2020
Master of Efficiency
Certification Magazine

Master of Efficiency

A skilled operations analyst fine tunes processes to help organizations flourish

time-read
6 Minuten  |
October 2020
Learn Smarter, Not Harder
Certification Magazine

Learn Smarter, Not Harder

Everyone is doing online learning now — but that doesn’t mean they’re doing it right

time-read
10 Minuten  |
October 2020
From Horizon to Horizon
Certification Magazine

From Horizon to Horizon

No matter where you look, cloud technology is blanketing the IT industry

time-read
9 Minuten  |
October 2020