Cass City’s Buxman shows how powerful education and teaching can change someone’s life

shawn roBinson

Jeremy Buxman has always had a drive and a passion for helping others and realized how the power of education and teaching can impact someone’s life. Buxman has been a high school history teacher at Cass City Schools for three and a half years. When he first graduated from Central Michigan University in 2009, he started his teaching career subbing in and around the Saginaw area for a few years. He then found himself teaching at two alternative second chance schools, Saginaw Learn To Earn Academy for three years and Dearborn/Detroit Technology Academy for one. Buxman made one more stop teaching at Bridgeport Public Schools before coming to the Cass City school district.

Buxman enjoys being a teacher. His passion for becoming a teacher comes from wanting to help others and being someone that people can come to talk with about anything.

“I’ve always had a drive and a passion for helping others, especially people that might be at a disadvantage in life,” Buxman said. “While I was in high school I had a traumatic experience that my family went through and I had a few teachers reach out to me and offer guidance and advice. I knew then and there how powerful education and teaching can have on someone’s life. When I went to college there were two options I was looking at: becoming a teacher was number 1, and number 2 was going into law, specifically as a defense attorney for those that couldn’t afford representation. I still would like to pursue the law path further down the road in my career, but right now I could not be happier being in education.”

As a history teacher, Buxman realized that students not only need to learn about the past events of this country, but also need to learn life-long lessons that they can apply to themselves every day. Buxman makes sure his classroom is a positive and bright environment, a class where students feel welcome and a place where their voices can be heard.

“What I enjoy most about being a teacher and role model for students is that I have an opportunity every day to teach them information that might help them later in life or give them advice they might be seeking about a career or job in the future,” he said.

“I have always told my students that the education and information they put in their brains will never be taken away from them. We have only a limited amount of time on this earth, so we might as well learn as much as possible while we are here. My goal for my students is always and will always be: When you leave Mr. Buxman’s classroom, not only will you get an education, but you will leave a better person and a kinder per- son as well.”

Cass City Principal Bill Hartzell said Buxman is a joy to have in the building and the kids love him.

“He goes above and beyond,” Hartzell said. “He’s interactive, energetic, engages with the kids, and builds relationships with them. He really shows initiative and is very student-centered.”

Buxman enjoys teaching all the different aspects of U.S. history, but says his favorite is teaching about World War II and the Great Depression, as it teaches the students how people come together when times are tough.

“One of my favorite parts of history to teach would probably be the Great Depression and World War II,” he said. “First the Great Depression showed how fragile the economy not only in the U.S. is, but also around the world. We came together as Americans during a very, very difficult time in the U.S. Some of the most important legislation came from that era, such as Social Security, FDIC