After 33 years as an educator in Department of Defense Educational Activity (DoDEA), John Henry Leavitt Jr., known to all as Buddy, is leaving Sigonella on a jet plane to his home in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina.
“I have been honored to have been given great students for my three years on island,” said Leavitt. “The parents on Sigonella love the school as much as the teachers love the school.”
Leavitt’s career choice is not surprising, considering his family history; his father was an Army sergeant and his mother was a teacher at a school in what was then known as the Health and Welfare Department. “My dad was stationed in Germany from 1949-1953. My mom was hired on as one of the first military spouses in Germany,” he recalls. His teaching career is also not a surprise to those who knew him as a child. “When little boys play and tell everyone that they want to be a fireman, a policeman or a robot, I would always tell everyone I wanted to be a teacher,” he said. “I would build forts in my back yard and the neighborhood kids would come over to the fort and I would create lessons for them.”
His mother nurtured his educational aspirations as well. “My mom taught kindergarten for four years and 1st grade for 27 years,” Leavitt said. “While in junior college, I would visit my mom in her classroom and she would let me help her students with reading and math.”
Leavitt began his career teaching in the United States, but after learning about DoDEA (then known as Department of Defense Dependents Schools, or DoDDS) from a friend, he realized it was the same program his mother had taught in. “The first time I applied was in 1985. I did not hear back, so I continued teaching in Texas,” he said. “I moved back to Hattiesburg, Mississippi in the summer of 1985 to begin my masters in international relations. After a semester, I decided to get a masters in special education instead.”
Luckily for the students of DoDEA, Leavitt was accepted in 1988 and began teaching at Lily Hill Middle School in the Republic of the Philippines.
He originally entered the system to see the world for just a couple years before returning to the United States. Well, two years turned into four which eventually turned into 33.
Leavitt taught kindergarten through 8th grade, both regular and special education, at schools all over the world: Clarke Air Base, the Republic of the Philippines; Ramstein, Germany; Volkel, the Netherlands; Spangdahlem, Germany; Osan, South Korea; Okinawa, Japan; back to Volkel, the Netherlands; on to Camp Humphreys, South Korea; then to Vicenza, Italy; and ending his career here on the island of Sicily.
“I have enjoyed some aspects of each of the places in which I have taught and lived,” said Leavitt. “I believe my favorite of all was the Netherlands. I loved the countryside and the Dutch people are some of the nicest people you will ever meet in the world.”
Buddy will retire to the mountains of North Carolina where his son, Conrad, resides. He plans to sell furniture at a local store, and volunteer at the local animal shelter. He has already been actively involved in the First Baptist Church choir and hopes that by the time he returns, the church doors will be open again.
“I am looking forward to being close to my son and his fiancé,” said Leavitt. “I will work for a friend in a ‘New to You Furniture’ store from time to time, but after 39 years of teaching, it really is time to enjoy the good ole U S of A.”
Buddy entered the system on a Flying Tiger transport from Oakland, California with his two boxer dogs, Bella Louise and Lucky John Fairley. During Buddy’s many years in DoDEA, he traveled the world with his many pets, and now will be leaving on a military transport with his two Sicilian rescues, Simon Chadwick and Henry Turnbull.
“I have had the greatest students of military, civilian and NATO parents around the world,” said Leavitt. “I have made many great friendships while teaching with DoDDS/DoDEA, and I wish my friends success as they continue the mission of teaching and nurturing our future adults,” said Leavitt.
| Date Taken: | 01.22.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 02.19.2021 09:38 |
| Story ID: | 388575 |
| Location: | SIGONELLA, IT |
| Web Views: | 55 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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