by: Kush Patel and Adriana Gomez
From working as a bouncer in nightclubs to bouncing his “Bubba,” WHS Social Studies teacher Mr. Casey Cullen has taken a complete 180 as he recently entered fatherhood. Mr. Cullen has certainly had a variety of life experiences, which have all come together to help him become a passionate teacher and wonderful father. Before his days of inspiring Westborough students and changing diapers, Mr. Cullen lived quite an interesting life.
After graduating from Worcester State with a degree in Psychology, Mr. Cullen moved to Canada with his girlfriend, Christie, who later became his wife. While in Canada, his wife studied to become a veterinarian while he continued to work in restaurants, which he had done since the age of fourteen. One late night as Mr. Cullen was cleaning up at work, he had an epiphany. He came to the realization that this was not the life for him and that he needed to pursue a more fulfilling career, not just for himself, but for his future family. As he pondered a new career line, his former social studies teacher and good friend Mr. Belbin, suggested that he follow his interest in social studies and become a history teacher.
Mr. Cullen had always enjoyed reading history along with watching World War II films with his father, activities he had done since early childhood. Nevertheless, he was reluctant to become a history teacher because both of his parents had been teachers, and he had found it to be a very disagreeable occupation when he was younger. Eventually he succumbed to his desire for educating the world and he decided to attend the University of Prince Edward Island to earn his Masters in History. Later he would return to WHS (his alma mater) to teach social studies and psychology.
Though his life has taken many interesting twists and turns, one thing has always remained the same: his ardent desire to educate the people around him. He hopes to continue this path of inspiring those around him with the newest member of his family, James “Bubba” Thomas Cullen. He plans on using the techniques that he has learned from teaching students and applying them to raising his son. “All I want is for him to be happy” were the departing and inspirational words of Mr. Cullen.
