Over the past 28 years, Kevin Thomas has been a Homewood-Flossmoor High School classroom English teacher, was the EDDA magazine advisor, a WHFH radio supervisor using his FCC license, and Career and Technical Education program chair, who also taught woods, small engines and business classes.

As he steps away from his long career, Thomas says he’s been happy with his choice to teach students. After working in business for several years “I realized I wanted a career, not a job,” and so at age 26 he went back to school earning a teaching certificate and a master’s degree in English from Governors State University. He later earned a second master’s degree in educational administration.

He taught English for nine years before transitioning to the Applied Academics (now Career and Technical Education) program chair position working with teachers in H-F’s shop programs, the pre-engineering program Project Lead the Way, culinary, fashion design and interior design and the business courses. He said he took the job because “I’m very adamant about every kid doesn’t need to go to college.” It’s a sentiment he still holds today.

As an administrator, Thomas got grants to update equipment in the shop classes, he worked to bring Project Lead the Way to H-F, he approved the start of the after-school Auto Club, lined up internships for students in the automotive classes and with Superintendent Von Mansfield’s approval he laid out the plans that were used to update the kitchens for culinary and new work spaces for fashion design and interior design.

The past few years, Thomas has been back in the classroom teaching small engines and working with students in academic assistance classes. He realizes that “the way kids learn is completely different today…That’s not to say they’re not learning, they’re just learning in a different manner” due to technology.

When he started, he didn’t have a computer in his classroom. Today every student has a device and technology is used for every part of a teacher’s instruction.

Thomas, and his wife Liz, will be retiring to Tennessee to be near their daughter, Megan, a 2012 H-F graduate who is a registered pharmacist. “I don’t know what I’ll be doing, but I’ll keep working,” he said.

Note: The reporter is related to Thomas.