When I was in a junior high computer skills class (e.g., basic typing with Mavis Beacon =)), the teacher in that class introduced me to the high school teacher. I told him how I had learned to do basic stuff with C using a book and a copy of Visual Studios 6 (I think) my Uncle gave me. I must have seemed like an anomaly, as he gave me the text book on C++ they used for AP computer science.
Fast forward a couple of years and now I am taking classes with that high school teacher. I took classes with him every year of high school, now that I think about it. Anyways, he must have seen something in me, as he asked me if I wanted a job at a local school doing part-time system administration work. I was maybe 13-14 at the time and it was my first real job! He would even stay with me after school to help me understand topics I wasn't as familiar with (e.g., Windows Server 2003, AD, group policies, printer sharing, etc.).
I guess you could say that is what got me into IT, professionally at least. Probably around 10 years after that, I was still working in IT and I made sure to send him an e-mail thanking him for believing in me and inspiring me to pursue something I was passionate about.
As chance would have it, the e-mail I sent arrived at a particularly difficult time in his life (accident led to death of multiple children he mentored). He communicated with me about it and I believe my message may have helped him in some small way when he was going through a difficult time. I am sure I did not have nearly as much of an impact on his life as he did on mine, but I will always be grateful for having that teacher nearly 20 years ago.
Fast forward a couple of years and now I am taking classes with that high school teacher. I took classes with him every year of high school, now that I think about it. Anyways, he must have seen something in me, as he asked me if I wanted a job at a local school doing part-time system administration work. I was maybe 13-14 at the time and it was my first real job! He would even stay with me after school to help me understand topics I wasn't as familiar with (e.g., Windows Server 2003, AD, group policies, printer sharing, etc.).
I guess you could say that is what got me into IT, professionally at least. Probably around 10 years after that, I was still working in IT and I made sure to send him an e-mail thanking him for believing in me and inspiring me to pursue something I was passionate about.
As chance would have it, the e-mail I sent arrived at a particularly difficult time in his life (accident led to death of multiple children he mentored). He communicated with me about it and I believe my message may have helped him in some small way when he was going through a difficult time. I am sure I did not have nearly as much of an impact on his life as he did on mine, but I will always be grateful for having that teacher nearly 20 years ago.