And you are?

(photo NOT taken by me)

Yesterday, I went on a mini field trip with a few colleagues and students for the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Non-Traditional Career Conference. As the students and educators congregated under a huge tent filled with chairs and a resource fair, a lone musician sat on a stool, strumming and crooning the Frampton standard "Baby I Love Your Way" and a few other reggae-fied songs. Sounding vaguely familiar, I thought to myself, "Hmmm, he sounds like the guy from Big Mountain" (whose remake of the song was included in the 'Reality Bites' soundtrack in 1994).

As the conference kicked off and introductions were made, I found out that the singer was indeed that guy! His name? Joaquin "Quino" McWhinny. He is currently subbing in our district and starts this July as an ROP teacher at the new high school. In addition to teaching Computer Web Design, he will also be teaching a studio/recording/sound engineering class (I forgot the exact title but it has to do with recording music) in a state of the art classroom/studio.

Students attended assigned breakout sessions in various fields like Sales & Merchandising, Hotel Management, Building & Construction, Medical, Maritime Industry and a few others I can't remember. The educators had carte blanche and could attend any of the workshops, so I kind of drifted in an out of the various classrooms listening to bits and pieces of the workshops. I ended up going catching the tail end of one of the Technology sessions and Quino was the presenter. My colleagues and I ended up staying for the second session where we got to learn more about him.

I was never a big reggae fan and still do not enjoy this type of music. It's too bouncy and monotonous for me. Man, it was musical hell for me when we were in Hawaii last summer because all they played on the radio stations was that Jawaiian bullshit. OMG I wanted to scream, but different strokes for different folks, right?

But nevertheless, it was cool to meet a musician whom I've only seen in videos. He looked differnent without his dreadlocks! It's great that he stayed local and is giving back to the community. He is also still in the music business with Big Mountain (as the only remaining original member) and musical side projects like Quinazo . All in all, he was a down to earth guy and I'm sure the kids who take his classes will find his passion for technology and music refreshing and contagious. He seems like the kind of teacher that kids would gravitate towards as opposed to someone who's just there to get a paycheck.