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12 The Southfield Jay / October 2009 FEATURES<br />
Roller blading teacher<br />
skates along in life<br />
By Marissa Katz<br />
Staff Writer<br />
The halls quickly empty out as<br />
the last bell <strong>of</strong> the day rings.<br />
A stray paper here and there<br />
litters the ground and is in an<br />
instant blown away. A tall form<br />
roller blades past, easily twisting and<br />
turning about the papers and through<br />
the halls.<br />
The roller blading teacher is John<br />
Shirkey, who’s <strong>of</strong>ten seen dashing from<br />
his classroom to the school library or<br />
main <strong>of</strong>fice to complete his business <strong>of</strong><br />
the day. He’s a multi-talented teacher on<br />
wheels.<br />
Shirkey has been teaching for 15<br />
years, handling subjects ranging from<br />
architecture to science.<br />
This year he’s teaching computer<br />
animation, drafting, and computer<br />
assisted design (CAD).<br />
Many people may wonder exactly<br />
why he has <strong>this</strong> interesting mode <strong>of</strong><br />
transportation inside the building. His<br />
simple explanation is that the newly<br />
built wing <strong>of</strong> the school is much too big.<br />
Roller blading, he says, “saves time.”<br />
He is careful not to roller blade when<br />
the halls are full <strong>of</strong> students. He mostly roller<br />
blades after school or when classes are in<br />
session and the halls are uncrowded.<br />
Ironically, the multi-talented teacher<br />
says he was only an average student<br />
in high school. He was in the Class <strong>of</strong><br />
By Michelle Nobles<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Senior James Jordan has landed<br />
the leading role in <strong>this</strong> year’s fall<br />
play, Terror by Gaslight.<br />
He plays Dr. Cyrus Norton,<br />
a surgeon who is creating an<br />
anatomical museum. But<br />
there’s a piece missing from<br />
his museum - cadavers. The<br />
cadavers he needs can only be<br />
obtained by public gallows.<br />
Co-starring with Jordan<br />
are juniors Stephanie<br />
Gullatte and Michael Love,<br />
who play Gin Hester and Leonard<br />
1973 at Marysville <strong>High</strong> <strong>School</strong>. Shirkey<br />
recalls that not all <strong>of</strong> his teachers were<br />
too fond <strong>of</strong> him.<br />
But when Shirkey got to college,<br />
that changed, he says. At Wayne<br />
State University, Shirkey maintained<br />
a 3.972 GPA when working toward his<br />
master’s degree. He was also a part <strong>of</strong><br />
the Wayne State’s newspaper staff as<br />
a photographer; he says his favorite<br />
assignment was a Stevie Ray Vaughan<br />
concert, which he covered before the<br />
singer died. He also received a certificate<br />
in micro computer applications at<br />
Oakland University.<br />
Shirkey says he started skating<br />
around the age <strong>of</strong> 10 at McMorran<br />
Auditorium in Port Huron, and according<br />
to him, he proudly says he has not<br />
broken a bone. He has yet to fall while<br />
skating around the halls <strong>of</strong> Southfield<br />
<strong>High</strong> <strong>School</strong>.<br />
Besides roller blading and teaching<br />
a wide variety <strong>of</strong> subjects, Shirkey<br />
can sing. He sang in the Port Huron<br />
Schubert Male Chorus and now sings in<br />
the Detroit Choir, which he joined last<br />
year. The choir <strong>of</strong>ten travels to perform<br />
concerts in other areas, and Shirkey<br />
says he hopes they will travel to Austria<br />
<strong>this</strong> year.<br />
But the only sure traveling Shirkey<br />
has on his calendar for now is to make<br />
the frequent trek from his classroom to<br />
the school library – on roller blades.<br />
Senior to star in ‘Terror by Gaslight’<br />
Scrubbs, respectively. They are devious<br />
grave robbers who don’t care where<br />
the bodies come from.<br />
According to Drama teacher<br />
Brenda Perryman, the good Dr.<br />
Norton has no idea about his coworkers’<br />
methods, but he will<br />
eventually find out.<br />
A freshman also has a<br />
key role in the <strong>this</strong> year’s play.<br />
Delando Davis-Wright plays<br />
Detective Harrison.<br />
The play is scheduled<br />
to take place on Nov.<br />
6-7, at 7 p.m. in the<br />
auditorium. Ticket prices<br />
are $5 for students and $7 for adults.<br />
Photo by Marissa Katz<br />
Wheels <strong>of</strong> fortune: Drafting teacher John Shirkey is known for passing<br />
through school halls on roller blades. He says it saves him time.