Mr. Jarrod Berkey has recently made a triumphant return to teaching after taking an extended hiatus to practice his specialty as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

A tall man with a loud commanding voice, Berkey seems to have settled into the job in a satisfying way, teaching not only accounting but marketing as well.

Berkey also took over the Hornets Nest, our very own school store.

An extremely knowledgeable man in the world of finance, Berkey is an expert at conveying the dangers of predatory business practices to his inexperienced students, particularly, he explained how credit cards work and how they can be a two way street.

Personally, I have gone to Berkey about my desire to be a funeral director, asking how financially feasible it was and found out the firm he worked for handled the books for Sharp’s funeral home. Berkey told me the business is a very lucrative one if done right.

Raised by a schoolteacher, Mr. Berkey was raised with a passion for education and teaching.

His passion for accounting was discovered about 5-6 years into his initial teaching career, teaching at the elementary to middle school level, after looking for a career path that he was well suited for and was growing exponentially.

After passing the CPA exam he was ready to start a new career.

In regards to his past career, his favorite part was always helping folks out of pretty sticky financial situations, especially involving the IRS. One of the biggest things he misses about this career was the flexibility of the scheduling and having his own office.

As for now, he sincerely enjoys working with high school kids more than his endeavors with younger kids. He says he does not regret his return to teaching and his favorite part of the job is getting to know and care for the kids he teaches

Berkey, always trying to be helpful, is taking over an hour of Economics. Mr, Whalen wants help with his schedule and with Berkey being a finance guy, teaching Economics is right up his alley.

As for other endeavors, he has considered dentistry and small time politics as other career options, though he hates the divisive nature of modern politics. His sister being a lawyer also made him consider a career as a lawyer.

Students have taken a general liking to their accounting teacher. Senior Brendan Wilson says,”Berkey is a very passionate teacher and is extremely involved in the school.”

Mr. Berkey is a lifetime Detroit fan, of course the Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons are who he roots for in their respective sports. He is also a big Michigan fan.

Now if you were to ask me what makes Jarrod Berkey tick, I would say it is just a want and love for helping people. As a CPA he loved helping people the most, and his most enjoyed aspect of education is getting to know and helping the kids. He is a very altruistic man who wants nothing more than to see people succeed and exceed expectations.