Martin Vickers, a graduate of Crestview High School in Okaloosa County, Florida, has returned to his alma mater as a teacher after nearly two decades. His path back to teaching was not straightforward. Although he aspired to become a teacher while still in high school, Vickers initially struggled to find a teaching position after college due to limited job openings for inexperienced teachers at the time. He worked as an editor before eventually starting his teaching career in Walton County in 2009.
Reflecting on his motivation for becoming a teacher, Vickers said, “I never was fully satisfied sitting behind a desk all day…I really wanted to work with young people. I’d been influenced by so many wonderful teachers, and I wanted to have the same influence.”
During his eight years teaching middle school in Walton County, Vickers made efforts to support all students, including learning basic American Sign Language to communicate with a deaf student outside of interpreter hours. “We had an interpreter, but there were times—maybe before or after school—the interpreter was not there, and I wanted to communicate with the student. So, I started going home at night and studying American Sign Language. I never got great, but I got to where I could hold a basic conversation…there has always been a desire to find ways outside of my norm to help people,” he explained.
Vickers later moved closer to home and taught at Davidson Middle School before returning to Crestview High School. Noticing an increase in English language learners at Crestview High, he began relearning Spanish using various tools so he could better connect with students without relying solely on translation apps. This initiative became more significant when two out of three Spanish teachers retired in one year.
He approached the administration about switching from English instruction to Spanish instruction and received strong support: “I wanted to get to a point where I could talk with them so I wouldn’t have to constantly use a translation app…so I started picking Spanish back up with Duolingo and different things.” He studied Spanish further at Northwest Florida State College and passed the subject area exam required for certification.
Now entering his third year as a Spanish teacher at Crestview High School, Vickers works alongside Leah Merritt—his former Spanish teacher—calling it “a true full-circle moment.” He shared about Merritt: “Ms. Merritt was an amazing teacher then. She is an amazing person now. I am so thankful for the opportunity (to work alongside her).”
Over sixteen years of teaching across counties and subjects, Vickers says that continued learning and self-challenge remain constants in his career. He encourages other educators statewide also consider learning another language: “if there has even been an interest (in studying another language), the students who speak another language are super encouraged by anything you can pick up.”
The Florida Education Association highlights stories like Vickers’ as examples of educators making meaningful impacts throughout the state.
