Earlier this year, Emerald Ridge choir students and families received word that our former choir teacher of thirteen years, Mr. McKee, had resigned from public education. In the search to rehire, school administrators crossed paths with Puyallup High School’s choir teacher, Jason Brinker, who he, himself was looking to turn a new leaf. With the newly presented opportunity to fill the shoes of a well-known Puyallup School District educator, he took the job and made the transition from Viking to Jaguar.
Brinker has been in public education for nineteen years now. Originally from rural Wisconsin, his roots belong to the Midwest. In 2005, he began teaching in Janesville, Wisconsin, where he spent three years. He then moved to Waukesha, Wisconsin where he taught for the next eight years. However, in 2016 Mr. and Mrs. Brinker decided to move to Washington state. Initially Brinker had no intention of following music education, but rather mathematics. Teaching was always the goal however he hadn’t decided on what. “It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I landed on music education as a career” says Brinker. Having a passion for knowledge, Brinker states “I have always wanted to serve as a vessel for knowledge being passed from one generation to the next.”
Brinker not only had passion but support. When asked who helped him get where he is today, Brinker replied “The obvious answer is my parents. They set an excellent foundation on which I was able to build whatever I chose. And for that I am grateful.” Crediting multiple “formal and informal mentors,” Brinker elaborated to whom he owed the biggest thanks, his wife, who is also his high school sweetheart, claiming she had “the most significant impact” on his life. He deems her to be an “honest, compassionate, self-giving and empathetic in every sense of the word” type of woman. “I’m lucky to call her my wife and my best friend.”
When questioned about what he likes here at ER – he began by saying “For starters, my students are pretty darn amazing!” Impressed with the Jag spirit we display here at ER, Brinker says “ER feels like it’s on the right track.” He has been taken aback by how “incredibly helpful and extraordinarily receptive” we are to his ideas even though Brinker is not the man we expected to be learning from this year. Brinker believes that “it’s critical to immerse yourself in your school community and strive to make it a positive, caring and kind place.” Brinker believes that ER does just that.
The controversial topic of “favorites” comes into play when he is asked about which school he preferred. Quoting the Isley Brothers, he claims “Love the One You’re With.” He then states that he cares equally and “very deeply for all of my students, past and present.” It is safe to say that ER’s got Brinker wrapped around their finger, however, as in his final statement he replies, “Go Jags!”