Dan Passmore has a long history with the pre-engineering course at the Warren County Career Center.
For the past 15 years he has been teaching it.
Before that, Passmore, a Warren native and graduate of Warren Area High School, took the class he now teaches.
The path from Warren to Warren led him around the region.
"After high school I attended ETI in Cleveland where I received associate degree in Architectural, Mechanical, and Process Piping Drafting and Design," Passmore said. "I received my Permanent Teaching Certificate through IUP and took classes from Pitt Bradford along the way."
He didn't go into teaching straight out of college. But teaching was part of his job, a good part, and he remembered that when he undertook a career change.
"Pre-Engineering is one of 14 career and technical education programs offered at the WCCC," he said. "My class concentrates on preparing students for additional education and/or a career in the drafting, design, or engineering field. The majority of the class focuses on mechanical and architectural drafting and design."
Passmore and his wife, Heather, have been married for 16 years. They have three children: Kaylin, Jacoby, and Micah.
Years before Dan Passmore's career path
brought him to teach Pre-Engineering
at Career Center, he was student in the class
Although there are some folks out there who believe otherwise, the Passmores do not, repeat, not, have any children named Happy.
"My wife was pregnant with my son Jacoby the same year that the movie Happy Gilmore came out," Passmore said. "I had my entire class convinced that we were going to name him Happy Passmore. To this day I still have past students, who are parents themselves now, ask me how Happy is."
Q: Why did you become a teacher?
A: One of my responsibilities at a previous job was to teach other employees how to operate the CAD systems. I liked it.
Q: What do you find most rewarding about teaching?
A: In Career and Technical Education, the instructors get to witness many students that finally find their niche.
Q: What frustrates you the most about teaching?
A: Every job has things that are frustrating. Teaching is no different. There is a ton of paperwork. As soon as you get aligned with one system, the system changes.
Q: What advice could you give to someone who is thinking about becoming a teacher?
A: You have to have thick skin, a short memory, and a good sense of humor.
Q: What career would you be in if you were not a teacher?
A: Architectural Engineering or Bull Riding
Q: If you could recommend one thing to parents (to help their children in school) what would it be?
A: You have to get them into at least one class that they love, no matter what the subject is.
Q: Teachers generally have a favorite funny or heart-warming classroom experience story... what's yours?
A: I had a class that kept eating all my food so I filled a bowl with some of those Harry Potter jelly beans. The whole group of thieves grabbed a handful at once, ate them, and then found out they were sardine, dirt, and earwax flavored jelly beans. They all got even with me, but that is all I have to say about that!