Welcome to the community local educator, mover and shaker, Zach Hatten.
An Ohio native (we will let it slide), Zach teaches chemistry at SJHS. As he works full time and finishes up his master’s degree, Zach sat down with us to talk about his growing love for our little town. Just like the eccentric and whimsical science teacher you imagined, he told us about the small zoo in his home - complete with geckos, chinchillas, dogs, cats, pythons, and frogs. He’s also an avid outdoorsman, sharing that he loves to hike, kayak, and garden. As a new teacher in the high school and a young face, it seems that students found trust and safety in Hatten’s classroom. Soon after his time began in St. Johns, Hatten learned that students, and queer students especially, found his classroom to be a safe space. Hatten made efforts to be open with students about challenges they may be facing, and is willing to have tough conversations providing support. While Hatten has always aimed to have an open door policy, he never imagined his classroom dynamic to shift the way it has.
Within the past year, Hatten has helped lead the charge for the high school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance, a club for 40+ students to learn, grow, and lean on others. Early in his tenure, a student approached him about taking the role of starting the GSA. Hatten made sure to tell us that while he serves as a sort of chaperone, the GSA is fully student-led. Meeting on Monday afternoons, students typically share presentations or discussion surrounding identities. These are educational, and allow opportunities for sharing what identities mean to each student. Students might cover LGBTQ+ history, news, music, books. In February, the GSA hosted a Valentine’s Day event in which students posted positive affirmations for others. While essentially a social club, the GSA provides a space for students to build community. As a professional, Hatten also shares tidbits of information for his fellow teachers, including how to use pronouns, or ways to encourage LGBTQ+ safe classrooms. Zach shares that it has been an incredibly uplifting experience for both himself and his students.
While the Alliance is still young, Hatten adds that he would love to see it continue to develop and thrive. He describes the tough climate in schools for queer students, even today. Hatten’s primary goal is for queer students to be more than just accepted and tolerated, but embraced. He sees this potential in St. Johns: a community that persistently comes together to help anyone. He hopes that in St. Johns, and in schools across the country, queer students will be welcomed into communities, and embraced for all that they are. In that, Hatten challenges school systems: It is our responsibility to provide safe and loving spaces for kids to grow, no matter their differences. For that, we are incredibly thankful to our educators that support students as they understand their own identities.
