“Hey mom, look! Isn’t that my English teacher? She shops here too? That is so weird!” Very often when students find their teachers outside of the school setting  performing regular activities, their disbelieving eyes and ears have to take a double take.

Westminster teachers pursue some of the same hobbies we students do. Often teachers do even more outside of school than we can ever imagine. From raising a family to learning self-defense, some teachers at WCA also have unique interests and jobs that they do.

One such teacher is Emily Roig, upper and middle school Spanish teacher, who pens lyrics and records music when having free time under her belt. In high school, Roig participated in the chapel band and even played one of her self-written songs, “The Red Sea.” Today she continues this passion on the side while collaborating with other musicians. She has now joined up with one of her roommates and WCA alumna, Sarah Haas.

“Ever since I was little, music was always therapeutic and fun for me. Now, it has become something I am passionate about because I can minister through it. Also it’s a way to get out in the city and meet other artists, which exposes me to other genres and perspectives,” said Roig.

Together, Haas and Roig co-write songs featuring other local musicians; Mallory Scholten, upper school science teacher, has played viola to one of Roig’s songs in the studio. While Haas plays drums and percussion, she also sings back up for Roig, who strums the guitar and sometimes the ukulele and is the lead singer in their band, The Specks.

Conducting private shows and performing at open-mic nights in local places in St. Louis such as Foam and Café Ventana, The Specks possess a folky, acoustic, and very passionate sound. While they have spiritual themes, they try to reach a broader audience.

“Although I do a lot of solo projects, I love collaborating with others. And this is why Sarah and I formed a band. Personally, I’m stretched as an artist while still having fun,” said Roig.

Another teacher that spends her efforts in other non-school activities is Annie Westhoff, Upper and Middle school PE teacher, who channels her energy into to a nonprofit St. Louis organization called Annie’s Hope. This organization helps kids who have lost someone dear to them cope through the grieving process.

Heavily involved, Westhoff became an element in this effort twelve years ago when a friend invited her. Ever since a freshmen in college when she joined, she has been the summer camp program director organizing, scheduling, and counseling.

In these camps, kids get to spend two weeks away participating in all the normal activities one would find in a summer camp. As a cabin counselor, Westhoff oversees children and teenagers find ways to express their pain and grief over a death or someone who is about to pass away.

“It’s about walking beside these kids and helping them process through that I am passionate about and also love doing. I just try to walk and talk them through it. They draw pictures of how they feel and explain it from there,” said Westhoff.

During the school year, Westhoff partakes through the junior board where young professionals help raise money by organizing different events such as: karaoke night, bake sales, etc.

Once in a while, she fills in for a counselor at a support group where kids bond, connect, and talk through their grief.

“This group is a tremendous help for young and old kids who need a supportative environment,” said Westhoff.

While raising a family and teaching, Dale Beachy, middle school math teacher, has attended two nights classes to train as an emergency medical technician also known as an EMT.

During the 2011-12 school year second semester, Beachy went to these classes twice every week while having to take a total of twenty-four hour shifts at the firehouse and riding ambulances.

During these weekends when he would go to the firehouse, he also had to go to the hospital. He often worked in the emergency room helping with patient treatment and performing assessments of patient vitals.

“I started to take these classes last year because of a couple of reasons: One being I was going to EMT classes back in 1999 when my family and I were in South Carolina, but we moved to come to St. Louis and I wanted to finish something I started. Another was to be ready and prepared to help my family or be of use in the work place if ever a dire situation arose. I don’t want to just be sitting around,” said Beachy.

His determination to finish something he began more than a decade ago and desire to help his family whenever helped Beachy complete the EMT classes.

As a first responder, Beachy has certain responsibilities if ever he is called to duty such as: CPR, bleeding control, stabilize injuries, apply splints, extracting people from cars, etc. However, there is a limit to what he can do.

After passing his classes, which included a hands on test, Beachy is searching for part time job or volunteer positions. However, it is hard to find a position like that because most firehouses have full-time employees and does not have need for part-time volunteers. For now Beachy will keep on looking so that he will not lose the skills and knowledge he has gained.