Golden Apple Award: Darren Hulgan, Chattanooga Valley Middle School

FLINTSTONE, GA (WDEF) – Darren Hulgan is on a mission to make the world a little bit better every day. He came to teaching later in life and students at Chattanooga Valley are sure glad that he did.

Principal Wade Breeden says, “Mr. Hulgan he’s been here for three. This is his third year. He’s a… I’m sorry fourth year he’s been a really big asset for Chattanooga Valley done a great job. He’s been able to make some really good relationships with the students and for the most part I think you like and what do you think?”

Mr. Hulgan explains, “Well, I’ve been at Chattanooga resident all my life except for four years when I served in the United States Air Force Way back, I won’t give the date to that cause that will kind of divulge my age. I’m married to Carol. I have two children and two daughters and four grandchildren. I’ve been teaching for four years. I’ve had many careers throughout my life, but I made a commitment to myself some time ago that whatever I did, I would do something that would help people. I just feel like that. It’s a good mission in life to do something to help people better themselves and by contributing you to that I’m helping make the place a better world.”

His students say, “He’s always ready to push us harder and ready to get us on new skills.”

“He’s just so cool and he’s just awesome.”

“Mr. Hogan is like very encouraging and he’s just like very cool. He’s a cool teacher.”

Mr. Hulgan concludes, “Why teach? Well, I enjoy education. I enjoy learning and I’ve had some wonderful teachers throughout my life that helped in the learning process, and I want to contribute in that same way. you like the best about teaching I would think it’s probably the socialization with the children and getting to know them trying to be in a leadership role for them setting an example of how they should conduct themselves and giving them encouragement and pointers and help them to understand things that they can do better in the way that they speak the way that they act and conduct themselves and just help them be better people.

We asked,” What do you want them to remember most about you?”

He replied, “Oh well, probably that they felt appreciated and cared for in my class.”