Retirement for Herbert A. Baker doesn't translate to quiet, leisure-filled days. Currently he's the chairman of the board for the Santa Rosa County Federal Credit Union and sits on the board of the Santa Rosa County United Way. During 39 years as an educator in Florida, Mr. Baker's career was marked with many distinctions. In addition to winning the Milken Educator Award, he was tapped as a participant in NASA's Teacher in Space Program, Santa Rosa Teacher of the Year and Florida's Middle School Principal of the Year. As principal of Hobbs Middle School, Mr. Baker instituted many innovative programs and reforms. One such program is Hobbs Habitat, a series of interdisciplinary units taught off-campus in which students study plant and animal life. Other programs and reforms implemented by Mr. Baker included team teaching, mandatory pre-algebra, home and industrial technology for all eighth graders, project-based learning, use of the Spalding method for reading instruction, and a strong school-to-work initiative. His belief that today's schools are educating tomorrow's leaders is evidenced by his support for character and values education programs such as the Violence Summit, the Social Skills program, and the Principles of Interactive Leadership Honor Code.
1966 William Carey College, B.A.
