I grew up in Waynesboro, PA, a small town along the Appalachian Trail. It was a beautiful place to spend the first 18 years of my life and I love going home to visit. When I graduated from high school, I left Waynesboro for the University of West Florida in Pensacola. I spent nine years in Pensacola earning my undergraduate degree and starting my teaching career. After teaching in Pensacola for four years, it was time for a change and I took a chance on Denver, Colorado. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. 
The 2016-17 school year will be my ninth year teaching at-risk middle school students. This will be my fifth year teaching sixth grade reading and writing in Commerce City, CO at Adams City Middle School. Although middle school education can be a challenge, it is one of the joys of my life. I am, however, starting to become interested in other career opportunities in public education. This is why I entered the Information and Learning Technologies graduate program at the University of Colorado Denver in the summer of 2014.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my dogs, Reba and Toby, listening to live music, bowling, being outdoors hiking, snapping pictures of graffiti murals, drinking craft beer, and traveling to visit my family and friends.
Wes Akers 