Mr. Timothy Delaney is one of Seminole High School’s beloved science teachers and has gained quite the reputation for being both funny and educational. Over the few years he has worked here, Mr. Delaney has become a favorite for all students, regardless of grade level or interest in the sciences. Delaney, for the near three years he has spent teaching on this campus, is one of those educators who is known to be relaxed, but is also amazing at commanding the attention of a classroom full of students.
Despite being so popular, there are still some aspects about Delaney as a person that remain uncertain. Growing up, Delaney had a great interest in marine life and all things about the ocean. The passion for marine science was deep rooted, and Delaney knew from the very start that this was what he wanted to learn for the rest of his life. As a result, Delaney had endless experiences from working in the marine field, from tagging sharks in Africa for three months to working at Seaworld for fifteen years.
“Working with Great Whites and tagging them in Africa, doing actual science, and, at Seaworld, being one of the first people to breed Weedy Seadragons in captivity both share the top spot for probably the best experiences I’ve had in my career,” comments Delaney.
It is because of Delaney’s experiences in the field that he holds such captivating regard. The stories he tells to his classes are certainly one of a kind, and an experience that only a few can get.
“Mr. Delaney’s class is a nice and welcome difference from any other science class I’ve had before,” says SHS junior Natalie Joyce. “We’re actually doing hands-on activities instead of just sitting there and listening to lectures all the time, and going into his class feels like walking into a second home. His lessons are super interesting, and I love going in there every day. My favorite thing that we’ve done up to now would be the squid dissection. Like I said, I much prefer hands-on things, so it was so much fun.”
Joyce is not alone in her sentiment! Many students share the same opinion that Delaney’s class is hands-on and packed with all sorts of knowledge and experiences that they have not been able to get from other classes. Similarly, the squid dissection is a fan favorite amongst all, and students hope to see more of such an activity in their pursuit of science.
Though he admires working in the field, Delaney left behind field work as he started to get on in his years. “It’s a very physical job, and I was getting older, so I started looking for other things that I could do,” he laments. “That was when I decided I would start teaching science to the next generation. I hope that all my students will take away new knowledge about the ocean and all its fun facts. Most importantly, I want that respect for the ocean to thrive, so when they are older, and they’re making all the decisions about what happens on the earth, they’ll remember me and be motivated to protect the ocean.”
Now, almost three years later, it’s safe to say that Delaney is well on his way to accomplishing his goal. More than fifteen years of real life experience is nothing to sneeze at, and his students seem to hold his words of advice and his stories close to heart.
Delaney’s time at Seminole certainly isn’t over, and neither is his journey as a teacher. So, Mr. Delaney, thank you for all you do, and thank you for doing it at SHS.