After 30 years, Hygrell bids BHS goodbye
Over countless hours spent in labs on the way to earning three degrees in life science, earth science and general science, a few themes emerged that clarified Greg Hygrell’s future path: he loved science, and he had a knack for teaching.
This summer Hygrell is retiring after 34 years in the classroom, including 30 at Buffalo High School. During that time he taught nearly every course in the science department catalog, from ninth-grade physical science to College-in-the-Schools Human Anatomy.
“I’ve always loved science,” he said in explaining why he became a teacher. “I took the long route in college and ended up with three majors. In that process I found it fun and spent a lot of time in labs and helping friends or classmates. One of them said I’d be good at teaching, so I went down that road. I thought it would be kind of neat to show the importance of science, and that you can use it every day and apply it.”
BHS Principal Mark Mischke said Hygrell embodied the subject matter enthusiasm and work ethic that make for an outstanding teacher.
“Greg Hygrell has always believed that the key to success is hard work. It shows in everything he does,” Mischke said. “He has always put in the time, energy and effort needed to be successful as an educator at BHS. He also has a true passion for science, and wants to share that with his students. He loves it when his students show the kind of passion for science that he has, and works hard to provide opportunities for them to be successful beyond their time at BHS.”
For students and co-workers, Hygrell’s direct nature, balanced by genuine kindness and humor, were signature traits.
“Be it a student, teacher, or an administrator, Greg will always tell it to you straight,” said Tech Ed. teacher Kurt Konsela. “I’ll miss our conversations that have brought me many laughs over the years.”
“His classes are full of story-telling, laughter and energy,” said fellow science teacher Tracy Lorenz. “His students love him and he will be missed.
Coming to Buffalo
Hygrell grew up in Bloomington and attended Normandale Community College and St. Cloud State University before later earning his master’s degree at the University of Minnesota.
He gained his first teaching experience back in his hometown before short stints in White Bear Lake and Fairbanks, Alaska. Though he would have liked to stay in Alaska, teaching jobs were hard to find so he returned and applied for a job in Buffalo.
From the beginning, Buffalo felt like home.
“When I first got here there were only six science teachers. I just fit in really well. We enjoyed the same things, wanted to teach the same way, and it was just a natural fit. It was a lot of fun,” he said.
Highlights
One of Hygrell’s favorite projects over the years was building and launching rockets in ninth-grade physical science. He turned the idea pulled from a teaching conference packet into a memorable experience for two generations of students, and one that has endured beyond his own involvement.
“It’s kind of cool to see that it’s still going after 30 years, and I probably haven’t taught it in 15 years or so,” Hygrell said. “Kids used to come in before school and work on their rockets. I built the launcher back in 1994. I’m proud that it’s taken abuse from I don’t know how many ninth-graders, and it still works today.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Hygrell has also enjoyed working with older students at the college-in-the-schools level.
“I get the kids who are really driven and motivated and want to go become doctors and nurses and anesthesiologists,” he said. “That’s cool to see too. They have goals that are well more thought out than I ever had.”
Another favorite part of his job was simply getting to know students and their interests beyond academics and school activities.
“There are a lot of kids who do things that aren’t really a part of school but take a lot of work and ambition – kids who race snowmobiles or compete in figure skating or those kinds of things,” Hygrell said. “I’ve enjoyed listening to all those stories and things they’ve done over the years.”
Changes
Over 30 years in the classroom Hygrell said the integration of technology has been the biggest change. Though blackboards have largely been replaced by slideshows and demonstration videos and easy access to information of all sorts, Hygrell said the hands-on aspect of scientific trial and error, as well as a personal base of knowledge, remains important.
“They’re way better with technology than I’ll ever be, but I tell my anatomy kids, ‘You don’t want your doctor to step out in the hall and Google something on his phone. You want to be able to provide that information with confidence. You just need to know some things.’”
Retirement plans
Hygrell said retirement will begin with spending time up north working on his cabin, hunting and fishing.
“It’ll be the first time I can bear hunt since I started teaching because that season starts the first week of school,” he said. “Maybe I’ll go to Yellowstone when there are no crowds, stuff like that. And maybe in December or January I’ll start thinking about what’s next.”
The final weeks of the school year were bittersweet.
“I kind of struggled,” Hygrell said. “The kids remind me that this is the last time I’m doing this or that. I’d never really thought about it. I did it for 34 years and nothing else, so that’s kind of a weird feeling. Some parts I won’t miss, but I will miss coming in every day and seeing all the kids. It’s been fun. I’ve really enjoyed it.”
The science department won’t be quite the same without Hygrell, but his friends and colleagues said he has much to look forward to.
“Greg Hygrell will be greatly missed here at BHS, but we wish him nothing but relaxation, biting fish, and plentiful deer sightings in his retirement,” said Lorenz.
