Shaun Roby - Empire High School
Shaun Roby never planned to be a teacher, but the profession found him, and he is forever grateful! Shaun earned an Associate’s Degree in Art from Rock Valley College in Illinois and then moved to Arizona where he founded and opened SunStreet Photo, a Tucson photography business. He then started a second business, Tucson School of Photography for adults, and his interest in teaching was born. He then worked through earning his teaching certification through extensive professional development in Vail and through Pima County JTED education courses.
Shaun now teaches Photography and Yearbook CTE courses at Empire High School in Vail. But, Shaun’s courses aren’t just about photo taking, editing, and developing. Being able to collect a paycheck with lots of zeroes on the end requires a far broader skill set. So, Shaun’s students also focus on computer programming, business (obtaining a license, insurance, marketing), photo shoot interviewing, taking no for an answer, customer service, and leadership skills. And, his students are consistently engaged in project-based learning on REAL photo shoots with REAL clients!
Shaun’s first love is photography, so when he’s not teaching photography, he’s teaching his students how to volunteer using their skills. His photography club runs fundraisers to contribute to the special education students’ garden club, to Empire families, to Angel Tree and more. And, they donate their photography services at special district events, for middle school yearbooks, for the Greater Vail Chamber of Commerce events, and for other CTE programs across the district to market their programs.
