James Helak ’91, an 8th-grade math teacher, is starting his 16th year of teaching, as a new alumni teacher at Albuquerque Academy. Born and raised in Albuquerque NM, he began as a student at Annunciation Catholic School, then at Albuquerque Academy. He proceeded to New Mexico State, then Johnson State, and later developed a career in teaching. Growing up Helak didn’t want to be a teacher, he wanted to be a doctor. He commented, “The main reason [he] changed his mind about becoming a teacher was because of two very important people [he] met here at Albuquerque Academy: John O’Connor and Kevin Carrol.” These two Academy teachers inspired him to pursue his profession in teaching.

One thing Mr. Helak would like his students to know is that he is “here to help them.” He hopes all his students have a positive experience and looks forward to incorporating fun activities into his class. A particular activity that he is most excited about doing this year is round-table discussions. This type of open class discussion will bring various perspectives to challenging math problems.

Mr. Helak had many jobs prior to becoming a teacher: restaurant manager, bartender, liquor store clerk, construction worker, pizza deliverer, and more. He continues to use his previous job experiences in his teaching methods. Before joining the Academy, he worked at Burlington High School in Vermont. His hobbies include riding motorcycles, reading, hiking, and playing chess. Right now he is working on fixing a house in his free time. Additionally, he wants to check “coast-to-coast motorcycle ride” off his bucket list.

Mr. Helak’s journey from student to teacher shows his commitment to fostering a positive learning environment. We are excited to welcome James Helak ’91 back into the Albuquerque Academy community, this time as a dedicated teacher.