“We can all grow differently, and we’re all successful in different ways,” said Cole Hurd. Hurd was a student teacher in the fall of 2023 and officially started teaching in January of 2024 at Argo. As one of the new faces in the building, Hurd is already making an impact. He balances teaching, coaching, and connecting with students in and outside of the classroom.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
What made you want to teach?
I was in eighth grade, and I had a teacher. Great guy. He kind of doubted me when I first got into school. Not surprised. I wasn’t the best kid. Maybe about four months into the school year, he looked at me. He said, “Mr. Hurd, you are a bright young man, and I can see you being like me one day.”
At that point moving forward, I was like, “Maybe I do want to become a teacher.”
How has being a coach affected being a teacher? Or the other way around?
If we’re looking at it at a glance, it’s a really good thing. I get to connect with students; I see more students in the hall. However, time management is very challenging. I’m not getting home until around 7 PM. My days are four hours longer than most teachers. But I would say it does have a positive effect on my career and my impact on the school.
What do you think is a memorable moment you’ve had as a teacher or coach?
Last year, the freshman team beat Richards’ football team 8-6. They were the number one team in the division at the time. It was a very hard-fought game. I know it sounds crazy because the score was only 8-6, but we were battling both sides of the ball really well. That meant a lot to me.
What have you learned as a teacher?
I’d say one big thing I’ve learned as a teacher is that it’s going to be a battle every single day. Whether it’s one student or two students or a period or a practice or just getting up and waking up and coming to school every single day, we are going to have to battle something. It just takes your own determination to see if you’re going to get through it every day.
