Jeff Rich: Be the Change

For the past 18 years, a common thread has wound through graduation testimonials at Stellar Charter School in Redding, CA. “Each year,” says former science teacher Terri Lhuillier, “at least three-quarters of the graduates talk about Mr. Rich.”

Stellar’s Star

The subject of these accolades, Jeff Rich, has worked as Stellar’s sixth through twelfth-grade science teacher since the school opened in 2000. Stellar’s founding principal recruited Jeff to build the science department, designing the program from the lab up. As the school grew from 15 students to 80, Jeff continued to develop enriching science opportunities including docent programs at Turtle Bay Exploration Park and Coleman Fish Hatchery. Terri, who taught the younger grades, says she always handed off her budding scientists to Jeff with excitement. “I gave kids a science foundation,” she says, adding, “He took them to the moon. By sharing his passion for science, he’s changing lives.”

Jeff jokes that becoming a teacher was in his genes; both of his parents and three of his four grandparents were educators. Before teaching at Stellar, Jeff taught science at Shasta Union Elementary School. Patti Furnari, who worked with Jeff at both schools, describes him as an “extremely positive individual” who “shares his passion for science and the world in a way that affects his students for their lifetimes.” Terri and Patti agree that students and staff alike benefit from Jeff’s presence. “He has an energy of his own, and also a calmness even in stressful situations that is infectious and influential,” Patti says.

As he enters his thirty-second year of teaching, Jeff says he still loves his job. Throughout his career, Jeff has cultivated students’ curiosity to reveal the beauty and wonder of science. “Kids are good scientists because they ask a lot of questions, and that’s exactly what science is,” says Jeff. “Maybe their questions don’t follow the exact lesson plan, but you can turn anything into a teachable moment.” Sometimes those teachable moments reach beyond science. Jeff cares deeply for his students as individuals and stresses that “the kind of people we put into society is more important than whether they got Bs in science.  Getting exact answers on tests is important, but we need to teach kids to be good, kind people.”

Outside of the classroom, Jeff practices nature and wildlife photography, a hobby he first picked up at Whiskeytown Environmental School in sixth grade. Jeff calls himself a “photo naturalist,” a term that combines his interests in photography and nature. His work has been published in several books and in National Geographic publications. He specializes in bird photography and has traveled to remote locations in Brazil, Japan, Ecuador and other countries around the world, alone or as a photography guide. Jeff’s wife, Heidi, often accompanies him on his photo-camping adventures, and Jeff’s two sons grew up joining their father in the great outdoors.

Jeff has also organized photography campouts for his students. Patti recalls witnessing Jeff’s contagious enthusiasm at one such campout, “Those kids were up before sunrise at Tule Lake, where it was freezing! They piled into the van without a moment’s hesitation, so he could take them out for incredible sunrise photoshoots.”

For Jeff, nature photography not only combines his passions but refreshes him. In his view, personal wellbeing spills over to benefit others. “When I take care of myself and do things that make me happy, I’m able to give more to my students and family,” Jeff says. “For me, refreshing my spirit means lying in the dirt to get a picture of a bird!”

“We are bombarded by negativity these days,” says Jeff, “So I like to celebrate what is right and beautiful in the world.” Whether in the classroom or the wilderness, Jeff’s talent for capturing the “right and beautiful” make the North State a better place.

Jeff recently released his third book, Bald Eagles in the Wild, an account of the comeback of the bald eagle from the endangered species list, illustrated by Jeff’s photography. Jeff will hold a book signing at the Turtle Bay Ballroom in the Redding Sheraton, October 16, at 6:00 p.m. The free event will include hors d’oeuvres and allow Jeff to share some of the stories from his book. http://www.jeffrichphoto.com.

The mission of our be the change column is to feature community members from the north state who are actively making a difference in community life. If you would like to nominate someone who is making a difference, please write to pn@northstateparent.com.