Tom Chittick, Biology Teacher

Mr. Chittick taught me Biology in grades 9 & 10 at Toronto Junior Academy. He introduced our grade 10 class to the wonders of the New England sand dunes. He also taught us how to explore a 3-foot square plot of ground and discover a habitat that most never see.

Not only was Mr. Chittick my teacher, he also became my first “boss” when I started running the school store with my friend Leli Pedro. At first we just volunteered to help. It was fun just being with our teacher, weighing the bulk foods into smaller bags and helping customers. Soon, Leli and I were being paid for running the store. We were given the keys to the school and to the principal’s office to put the money away.

Six years later, when I graduated from Andrews University in 1980, Tom offered me a lucrative teaching job in Newfoundland where he was the principal. (Instead, I went to Broadview Academy, on task force wages of $15/week plus room and board, to be a Campus Chaplain.)

1n 1997, I became Tom’s pastor when I moved to Andrews University to serve at Pioneer Memorial Church. For years we were in a small group together and I got to minister to Tom and his family during some critical times, including the death of his dear wife, Judy.

This journey is a reminder that as we pour into the lives of others, those blesses sometimes come back. The students we mentor can in turn become those who care for us.