World traveler goes home

Social studies teacher David Vincent’s passion for traveling is evident by the 41 countries he has visited throughout the world. Yet every summer, he returns to Lake George, New York to maintain a connection with his past.

“It’s a balancing act between places that I will faithfully return to and allotting time to those places and new places,” Vincent said.

He said both his immediate family and his extended family travel to Lake George each summer to visit the family’s cabin and spend time with each other, as well as old friends in the area.

“That’s really where I probably picked up my love of the outdoors [and] hiking,” Vincent said.

Lake George is where he learned to swim as well and where he has memories of fishing with his father, Vincent said. Despite his love for this place and his loyal return to it each summer, Vincent still loves exploring new places.

“I think that seeing the way that people live in different places gives me some perspective on my life and the way that we do things in our country,” said Vincent. “It makes me reflective.”

One classroom to another

As school ends at Glenbrook North, science teacher Bob Froehlich turns away from a high school classroom and turns toward a college one. Froehlich has spent the past four summers teaching a first-level physics course at Elmhurst College.

“I like to interact with the students,” said Froehlich. “I enjoy what I teach. I think it keeps me fresh [and] sharp.”

According to Froehlich, while he enjoys teaching a subject he is passionate about, he finds the small class size a problem since class sizes range from four to 12 students.

“It’s like trying to pull teeth to try and get an answer out,” Froehlich said.

Despite his struggles with participation, Froehlich said the class moves quickly for students, similar to an AP course in high school.

“It’s kind of intensive because we’re cramming pretty much a whole year of college physics into eight weeks,” Froehlich said.

When he is not teaching in the summer, Froehlich said he and his family try to grab a day or two to visit Moraine Hills State Park and go turtle watching. As much as he enjoys time with his family, it is still fulfilling for him to be able to teach.

“I really love the subject, and to have them appreciate the nature of nature is really what motivates me,” Froehlich said.

Crossing the nation by car

There are not many places on Earth one can go and see a full-grown adult dressed as a rodent. Disney World is one such location, a fact that math teacher Michael Campbell and his family are well-acquainted with as they have driven there for lengthy vacations the last three summers.

“We are the great American road trip family,” Campbell said.

According to Campbell, he and his family drive all over the country in their minivan during the summer. In the past, they have stopped in Colorado and Las Vegas on the way to California twice, and they have also stopped in South Carolina and Tennessee on the way to Disney World. This summer, Campbell is planning on returning to Disney World for two and a half weeks before driving to Minneapolis and Iowa to visit some friends.

“With my children, I love going to Disney,” said Campbell. “We are Disney crazy.”

According to Campbell, one reason he takes road trips is because he has always loved to drive and enjoys how the environment promotes conversation with his family. However, he also enjoys traveling for the sights.

“I like seeing the different parts of this country and this world that make it a great place,” Campbell said.