Robert Evans, who has taught science at Gulf Junior High and Gulf High School for 39 years, will retire at the end of January. His last day will probably be Jan. 30.
Mr. Evans has taught physical science, astronomy, and oceanography. He estimates that he has taught close to 7,000 students. His entire teaching career has been at these two schools.
He moved to Florida in 1976 to begin his teaching career at Gulf Junior High School, which was then located in the current Gulf High School building on School Road. He taught in room 208, which is the same room he is in now as a Gulf High School teacher.
After he taught junior high school for one year, the junior and senior high schools switched buildings, so he continued teaching junior high in the Louisiana Avenue building. In January 1983 he was assigned to teach science at Gulf High School, so he moved back to the current high school building.
Launches of the space shuttles could be seen from New Port Richey, and on Jan. 28, 1986, he and another teacher named Fred Rydzik, standing in the parking lot in front of the gym, saw the space shuttle Challenge explode. Mr. Evans realized immediately what happened and went back inside the school to tell other teachers to turn on their televisions.
In addition to being a science teacher, Mr. Evans is a professional photographer. He formerly owned Robert A. Evans Photography and Art Matters Frame Shop. His interests are woodworking, boating, fishing, and traveling, and he plans to pursue all four when he retires.
Mr. Evans was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but grew up in Tennessee. He graduated from Hillsborough High School in Nashville and attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He has a B. S. degree in Education with a minor in Geology and he has a master’s degree in Administration and Supervision.
