This story is apart of our ongoing coverage of 2024 retirees. More stories are soon to come.

Steven Hoogerheide, a math teacher beloved by East students for 33 years, is retiring this year. As a teacher, a math team and tennis coach, many students and teachers alike will be sad to see him go.

Hoogerheide decided to pursue teaching midway through his journey at Wheaton College. After his first year struggling to learn math, he became very interested in teaching. He was also very interested in coaching, which teaching has allowed him to pursue. 

“After struggling mightily to learn calculus my freshman year at Wheaton College, and then working through that struggle to find success, I got really excited about math. And coaching basketball was something that I really wanted to do, so being a teacher allowed me to do that as well,” Hoogerheide said.

Some of his favorite at East activities included faculty basketball, and working out with the muscle squad in the morning. However, his favorite thing about East is the students and staff.

Many of his students are sad to see him go as they consider him an amazing teacher and a great coach.

Alyssa Borbath, a senior, knows Hoogerheide through multiple activities and classes. “My favorite memory of him is when he would make up fun ways to remember boring calculus methods,” she said. “Hoogs really made boring things fun and I learned so much from him, and not just tennis and calculus.”

The Glenbard East Math Team has also created a shirt to recognize Hoogerheide’s dedication to the team. 

Even the students who were impacted by him through tennis are sad to see him go.

“Coach Hoogerheide was an amazing tennis coach and he was clearly passionate about coaching,” said Finn Talbot, a boys varsity tennis player.

During retirement, Hoogerheide is considering tutoring and even possibly coaching. He also hopes to fish more, travel and spread news about what Jesus did for him and what he can do for others.

Hoogerheide has described teaching and coaching as a great blessing for him and his family. Being a coach and teacher has given him the opportunity to spend time with his children, helping them with math and tennis. He is very appreciative and grateful of all the students and teachers he has met throughout his career.

“I am very excited about retiring, although I will miss the many, many great people who teach here and learn here.”