Maybe you’ve had the opportunity to have a class with him or notice the reflective surface of his head, but do you really know him? Kevin Olesen has been an art teacher since 2007 which can come with a lot of challenges but many rewards.
In the beginning, he had never considered a career in education. Olesen said, “The experience of helping people learn had a profound impact on me, which led me to see how rewarding it was to see people master skills and help them unlock their potential.”
Yet, his passion for art began as early as his childhood. During Olesen’s primary years, art had always been ingrained in his memory of that time. “I loved to draw and my parents always encouraged creative outlets,” Olesen said. However, during his first year of college he was focusing on courses outside of the art world. “It was at that point that realized how important art was to me,” Olesen said.
Teaching a classroom full of students is, “So much more than just teaching a lesson,” Olesen said. On his first day of teaching, Olesen felt the day being incredibly overwhelming and everything moving extremely fast. That can be expected at any new job that requires you to get out of your comfort zone. Olesen said, “I remember being very excited, a little nervous and loaded with energy. Probably due to my breakfast, which consisted of a Mountain Dew and donuts.”
“I was so focused on not messing up, but in hindsight, I do not know what I was going to mess up. I just wanted to make a good first impression with my students and colleagues. I remember thinking that some of my students looked older than me,” Oleson said. One of Olesen’s students, senior Leigha Phinney, said, “He is a really awesome guy. Whether you take an art class with him or have him as a coach, you can see the passion for teaching behind those glasses.”
Using one word to describe himself, Olesen said “bald,” but he is so much more than what is on the top of his head. He has created such a supportive and creative atmosphere here at school, and I can be so lucky as to say that I’ve had the privilege to see the passion Olesen has or teaching and his love for art.
Olesen has been coaching girls soccer for ten years and boys soccer for sixteen years, with the intention of coaching tennis next school year due to Steven Johnson’s departure from OHS at the end of this year. Many senior girls are going to miss Olesen and his silly demeaner. Senior Grecia Romero said, “I’m really going to miss how he made the team feel like we played so good even if we missed the ball every single time.”
