By Bernadette Hoover, Reporter
Nicky Wilks
Nicky Wilks was born and raised on Vashon. He attended Chautauqua the first year that the new building was built and attended VHS from 2002-06.
During his high school career, he played lacrosse and was a camp counselor at Waskowitz Outdoor School. He then attended Chapman University in Orange County, California, where he continued to play lacrosse and graduated with two business degrees.
After graduating, Wilks worked as a business coach and consultant for small businesses where he dabbled in graphic design and project based work. He also worked as a college admissions counselor and would periodically travel to the Northwest to recruit students for Chapman University.
Wilks’s partner wanted to get her degree in midwifery at Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA, and Wilks wanted to start a rites-of-passage and mentorship program for young boys and girls, which includes time spent in nature and camp activities.
These goals prompted the couple to move back to the area in June, 2015. The program now meets during the summer.
In his free time, Wilks enjoys archery, adventure riding and multi-day backcountry motorcycling.
This is Wilks’ first year teaching, and he is thoroughly enjoying in it.
“My dream is to spend a considerable amount of time every day working with youth, and it feels very natural for me to teach marketing because I have so much experience in it,” Wilks said.
Elizabeth Gleb
Elizabeth Gleb grew up on Vashon.
She then studied at the University of Washington, majoring in anthropology with a focus in lab-based quaternary dating processes and field archeology.
During college Gleb was a research assistant, doing most of her work in the Middle East. She graduated with a masters in curriculum and instruction, and got her second degree in secondary science education.
After graduating, Gleb taught at Steilacoom High School near Tacoma for four years. After moving back to Vashon, she realized she wanted to teach at her alma mater. When the chemistry and physics teaching position opened in June, she jumped at the opportunity, additionally taking up the position of cheer coach.
“When I was teaching off island, I couldn’t attend everyone’s awesome extracurricular activities as frequently because I always had a ferry to catch. Now I get to be at more things and have a better understanding of who my students are as people outside of school,” said Gleb.
Gleb enjoys walking her dogs and taking early morning runs with faculty colleague and friend Kara Sears.