What do high school science and the military have in common? To find the answer, one need not look any further than Room 622 where Herbert Kendall reports for duty as the new chemistry and physics teacher.
Kendall does not boast a typical teacher’s resume. He says serving 21 years in the U.S. Navy as an aircraft engineer and commander has taught him much about science. With a background in aeronautical engineering and math, Kendall brings his expertise to tackle molecular equations and calculate the effect of gravity.
“When I worked on repairing the engines of large aircraft for 21 years it seems mundane to get in my garage and fix the parts of my car,” Kendall said.
Kendall’s career gave him the opportunity to fly all over the world. He once trained in the jungles of Kenya and went on safari.
“We saw alligators, antelopes, lions and elephants,” Kendall said. “It was a neat experience to fly over the jungle in helicopters and see all the natives in their villages.”
However, Kendall retired from the military at age 42 in order to spend more time with his family.
“Out of my 21 years in the military, I spent 13 and a half years aboard aircraft carrier ships traveling around the world,” Kendall said. “But I was married and wanted to be with my family back home.”
Kendall has spent seven years teaching in public schools and most recently taught science at San Benito High School in Hollister, CA.
“I love it here,” Kendall said. “A lot of dynamic, intelligent people work here and I am proud to be part of the team. It’s refreshing to be at a Christian school and be able to speak the truth.”
Lauren Barisic, ’10, appreciates how Kendall integrates God into physics.
“Mr. Kendall sees God’s work in everything,” Barisic said. “‘Because God made it that way’ is his response to anything inexplicble to man. His constant quoting of Scripture really gives you the sense that he is striving to show us how God is the reason for everything; there is no other possible way.”
When Kendall is not teaching, he spends time boating at Shaver Lake. His other hobbies include scuba diving, playing the accordion and even unicycling.
“It really engages the whole body when I get up on the unicycle,” Kendall said. “Every muscle must work together to keep the body balanced.”
In addition to exercise, Kendall says he finds satisfaction in stimulating the minds of his students.
“I enjoy teaching chemistry and physics because it’s the basic foundation of how things work,” Kendall said. “It’s neat when a student struggles a little bit and then their light bulb turns on. I find it very gratifying when they say, ‘Oh, I get it!'”
Kendall’s students say they appreciate his willingness to explain the subject until they fully understand.
“I think he’s a good teacher because he knows chemistry is difficult, so he explains the material in a very patient way,” Stowe Empereur, ’11, said. “He doesn’t get frustrated if you don’t understand, and he goes over the material until it makes sense.”
Kendall’s military roots also give him the opportunity to invite Navy specialists into the classroom. He plans to utilize a variety of experts to share with students how they incorporate science in their jobs.
“Students always say, ‘Why do I need to know this?'” Kendall said. “When you hear from the people who are actually working in the fields of chemistry and physics it makes the material more interesting and realistic. Students can actually see how learning science opens up the doors to many careers.”
