(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A Thornton High School teacher in south suburban Harvey, who never envisioned going into education, was honored for his work in the classroom and on the soccer field.
Forty-year-old Dave Gonzalez was surprised Tuesday in his classroom on National Care for Kids Day during National Hispanic Heritage Month. He was honored by the group Buddy’s Helpers.
Gonzalez had not planned to become a teacher. He was going to be an actuary.
“I was actually preparing for my actuary exams,” Gonzalez said. “My brother convinced me to come do a full-time sub position while I was doing that because I was living with him, and he was kind of, like, ‘You got to pay some bills here,’ so I started doing it, and I just fell in love with it.”
Gonzalez said teaching is not an easy job, but it’s a very rewarding job.
He and four of his six siblings are educators.
Gonzalez also coaches the girls soccer team at Thornton, as well as an age-group team.
When Gonzalez was honored in his classroom, his 71-year-old mother and two of his six siblings were on hand, along with Thornton administrators. He was also given two Chicago Bulls tickets.
Gonzalez and another of his siblings were born in the United States. His other siblings and their parents were born in Mexico. Gonzalez said his father died when he was 8, leaving his mother to raise seven children.
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