While many students who started Heritage during middle or high school say they feel like they have “been at Heritage their whole life,” Mr. Jonathan Reid, who teaches Architecture 1-6, Graphic Design and Computer Graphics in the computer lab in the 3000, attended Heritage from PK4-12.
From his time as a student to his present profession as a teacher, Mr. Reid recalls many additions to the school that most of the student body today think of as normal, but to him, they were drastic changes to his normal school routine.
“I remember watching the uniform progression year to year as I got closer to high school: [Upper School] students could wear any kind of t-shirts one year, then solid colored t-shirts only, then any color collared shirt, then the standard AHS uniforms by the time I was in ninth grade,” Mr. Reid said.
Mr. Reid said his art classes were his favorite classes in high school. One teacher who especially influenced his AHS journey was Mr. Tremper, his art teacher who taught Drafting, Graphic Design, Drawing, Computer Graphics and Portfolio, who is currently the head of the Boca Delray AHS Art department.
Along with Mr. Tremper, another of Mr. Reid’s teachers still teaches here today. Mr. Mark Gruskin, who teaches Comparative Government and Politics, Constitutional Law Honors and American History AP, had Mr. Reid as a student for American History AP in Mr. Reid’s junior year.
“[Mr. Reid] was a very smart, hardworking and humorous student who used to draw cartoons in class,” Mr. Gruskin said.
By 1998, his senior year, Mr. Reid had created a full senior portfolio for display at the Fine Arts Festival ‘98 and was promoted to co-captain of the Heritage wrestling team, where he earned the title “Most Valuable Player.”
After high school, he proceeded to study at the University of Central Florida, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a specialization in Computer Animation and a minor in Film. In December of 2004, he returned to AHS, this time to teach students instead of learning from teachers.
Mr. Reid currently teaches in the 3000 building. (Photo/Madison Lynn)
“I have gotten to train the art skills and minds of many awesome kids (over 1000 at this point), and it is great to know that even if they do not pursue art as a career, I have infused them with the knowledge to create things of beauty, substance and monetary value from thin air, using their skills on the computer, from creating computer graphics to 3D models,” Mr. Reid said.
Working with Dr. Douglas Laurie, Mr. Reid helped design various buildings and spaces in the Plantation and Boca/Delray campuses. He created many of the advertisements, logos, maps and club shirt designs for the school.
“To the artists: Practice/hone your drawing ability as much as possible (sketchbooks or any school notebooks-as I did….just make sure you are taking notes as well as drawing). Drawing is fundamental to most forms of visual art,” Mr. Reid said.
