As Veterans Day draws near, many people celebrate those who served the country. Eagle High, like many other schools, has teachers who are military veterans. One of those brave veterans is teacher Michael Rivers. 

At Eagle High, Rivers plays a key role in the physical education program. He has taught several classes over the years, currently teaching advanced weightlifting, yoga fitness and freshman cornerstone. Rivers taught many classes in the past. However, before becoming a teacher, Rivers served in the U.S. military. 

“I was in the Army… I worked as a 31 Echo, which is a corrections officer,” Rivers said. His role involved numerous responsibilities, including overseeing and maintaining security at military correctional facilities. 

“Originally, in high school, I thought I wanted to be a police officer, so I wanted to get some experience in law enforcement,” Rivers said. In the end he chose a different path; joining the military.  

Rivers believed the Army would offer valuable experience in the career he aspired to pursue, but that wasn’t the only reason he joined. 

“I also knew I needed some structure in my life, because I was not the best student, not the most disciplined,” Rivers said. His desire for career experience and personal discipline set the stage for his eventual decision to join the Army. 

After working as a correctional officer for a-while, Rivers grew dissatisfied with the position. 

“I feed off my environment, and as you can imagine, being in a prison is pretty negative,” Rivers said. 

After leaving the military, Rivers didn’t immediately transition into teaching. He went on to attend school in Portland, Oregon. Later on, he began coaching at Concordia University, eventually returning to coach at his old high school. 

It wasn’t until April of 2020 that he started working at Eagle High, where he has been ever since. 

Throughout his time in the military, Rivers learned many valuable lessons, such as: “Doing things when you don’t want to, being scared and doing it anyway and the camaraderie you can have with suffering together.” These three lessons top the list of the most valuable things he learned during his service. 

From his time serving the country to now teaching students to stay physically active, Rivers sets a strong example of hard work and discipline.