After 28 years in the classroom, science teacher Roger Oakes officially retired from LHS, but not without leaving behind a legacy of curiosity, fun, and a whole lot of stories.
Oakes taught all 28 of his years, spending most of that time teaching Biology and Anatomy and Physiology. Over the years, he also taught Environmental Science, Geoscience, and even some physics.
In the early 2000s, he created one of LHS’s most unique electives: “Stereo Physics,” a course dedicated to exploring the science behind audio systems.
His path to LHS was simple. At the time, Oakes drew a radius around where he was living and applied to schools within that circle. LHS sat right at the edge.
“I was very impressed with the principal at Lakeridge at the time,” Oakes said. “I was super excited when she offered me a job.”
Over nearly three decades, Oakes witnessed dramatic changes in education, especially in technology.
When he first began teaching, very few students had cell phones. By the time he retired, smartphones were everywhere. He saw not only how technology changed instruction, but also how it affected students socially and emotionally.
“I know cell phone usage bans may not be popular with students,” he said, “but I think they are being implemented with students’ well-being in mind.”
For Oakes, though, teaching was never just about content. To him, it was a connection.
“For me, it was always about sharing my passion for how things work,” he said. What made it meaningful was “developing those relationships with literally thousands of students over the years.”
As Oakes adjusts to retirement, he says the biggest surprise is how fast time feels.
“I thought days would feel longer, but they seem to go faster.”
He misses getting students excited about science, especially Anatomy and Physiology.
Recently, he has been reconnecting with former students who now work in the medical field.
“It has been super rewarding seeing how many have become nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, doctors, veterinarians, etc.,” Oakes said. “I will miss being a part of that journey for students.”
He also misses telling stories, especially the famous Halloween “Julio” story.
While he’s heard that “Julio 2” may now exist, Oakes joked that he might need to return as a guest speaker to “set things straight.”
Retirement, however, has kept him busy.
He’s spending more time watching baseball, traveling to see his son Kellan pitch, building woodworking skills, planning a kitchen remodel, restoring old BMWs, and riding adventure motorcycles along routes like the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route.
Although Oakes says that this stage of his life is relaxing, his heart still remains with LHS.
Reflecting on his final year, Oakes said, “My last year at Lakeridge was one of the best. The reason? It was my students.”
He would like everyone to know that “[he] had such a good year with you guys that [he] began to question whether [he] should be retiring.”
He ended with a message to the LHS community: “So thank you, Lakeridge — I miss you guys.”
