Passion + challenges = perfect synthesis for chemistry teacher
For Steve Wood ’97, the longer he teaches, the more he enjoys it.
“I am part of a community… teaching different siblings from the same family. It’s neat to be a part of it all,” said Wood, who teaches AP Chemistry and Marine Biology at Hoover High School in North Canton. “I like the interaction with students, I love the subjects. I like watching a student grow as a person, becoming something they didn’t think they could be.”
He particularly enjoys teaching chemistry.
“Chemistry is a hands-on course that requires a higher level of problem solving,” he said. “I love when my students discover something in the chemistry lab.”
And in his 18 years of teaching, Wood has learned plenty from his students as well.
“At one point, one of my students was worried about a homework assignment while his mom was home battling cancer, unbeknownst to me,” he said. “She died soon thereafter. It taught me that there are more important things to life than homework… like loving the people in your life and savoring your time with them.”
The most important people in his life include his wife, Michele (Voican) ’97, and their three children, Moriah, Pacey, and Levi.
The couple met at Malone, where Wood was a standout basketball player and an All-America Scholar Athlete for the NAIA. He said his experience was lifechanging.
“I came to Malone not having a faith at all, and left as a believer,” he said. “It’s where I started my Christian journey.”