Mr. Mace is one of the many incredible teachers at CHS, however, not every teacher at CHS can create a learning environment that is both encapsulating and also extremely academic. Mr. Mace does. Mr. Mace is always a bright light in the C200s, whether it is his smile from behind his glasses or his charismatic personality.
Mr. Mace grew up in a family that was “very very into history.” He expressed that “history and social issues were the topic at the dinner table. There wasn’t anything light. You had to bring your A game to have dinner with my family.”
After having an interest in history from his childhood Mr. Mace went to college at Furman University. He started his career with a more economic outlook on life. He started working for ABC News after he graduated. “I worked for them for 8 years up until the point where I became a very boring person,” says Mr. Mace. He learned that doing something you love is much more important in life, saying, “I learned a lesson there in my 20s: Lifes too short to only look at your bank account.”
Mr. Mace proceeded to leave his job at ABC News and started the search for a new career that made him more happy. “I ran a bed and breakfast up on Martha’s vineyard and did a reset. I decided that education is something I am very interested in, specifically high school history.”
Mr. Mace has been involved in education for the past 30 years. He started his teaching career volunteering for an education non profit organization, and then continued to work at West Potomac High School and Langley High School before eventually moving to CHS and has been working at CHS for the past 18 years. “It took me some time to realize it, but teaching is always something I’ve wanted to do.”
Mr. Mace shows his compassion for students because he “can relate to that kid in the back row. I’ve been there.” He shares his own struggles during high school saying “I barely scraped by.” He uses his own high school experience in his teaching by saying, “It gives me a certain sense of empathy.” His clear display of passion for his students is what drives Mr. Mace to continue in education.
Along with teaching, Mr. Mace has other interesting hobbies. “I love road biking and that is something I’m passionate about,” says Mace. “I have ridden across Iowa a few years ago and I’ve done a couple of 200 mile rides from Seattle to Portland, Oregan and another from Sturbridge, Massachusetts to Provincetown.” He enjoys browsing around local bike shops and going on simple bike rides as well.
Mr. Mace is always going to be a beloved part of Charlottesville High School and his compassion and empathy for his students is always shown. He cultivates an environment of learning that nurtures unique and more straight forward thinkers alike. If you are lucky enough to have Mr. Mace as your teacher, be sure you “don’t be a stranger” as he likes to say.
