Since 1984, the Chicago area has benefited from the inspiring teaching of Joseph O’Shea, but it won’t anymore.

O’Shea has taught at ETHS for the past 23 years in a variety of science courses, including Anatomy, Biology, and Physics.

Known for his zany and excitable personality, O’Shea has brought life to the science department throughout his entire career. You have probably seen evidence of O’Shea’s unique teaching style in the halls, like students carrying around homemade guitars for his physics classes.

In other years, O’Shea has supervised egg hatching from eggs purchased at Dominick’s. He even dyed some embryos so the chicks would hatch orange and blue.

After retirement, O’Shea plans to travel with his wife to Ireland and Hawaii. He will also devote more time to hobbies such as woodworking, gardening, and volunteering. This includes volunteering as his town’s environmental commissioner, as well as possible positions at a hospital or Wrigley field.

“The thing I’ll miss the most is all the wonderful kids,” O’Shea said. “It was always a pleasure working with the best kids and staff.”