Pictured clockwise from top left: Louie Rosenbaum, Lexi Stovsky and Emily Danzig (Emily’s high school graduation party); Kaitlyn Landis (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Library and Archives); Kauner, Kaulin and Kaury Hooper (High School Graduation). Pictured below: Jurkovic’s first and last class photos. As adults, his students have chosen all sorts of careers, but they have at least one thing in common. Many have told Jurkovic that they recognize and appreciate their roots and how fortunate they feel to have been educated in Beachwood. The teaching has now gone full circle, Jurkovic professes. Today, former students are teachers in their own right. When telling us this, Jurkovic referenced his February 2015 meeting with Bryan Wynbrandt, who is now a producer/writer at Paramount Studios. “Getting together with Bryan in his element was great,” Jurkovic said. “He took Pat and me on a tour, teaching us about his industry.” Jurkovic also talked about visiting Rosie Rapoport in her second-grade classroom in Chicago, observing her as a teacher and reading to her class; and meeting with Stacey Snyder Cohen, a veteran first-grade teacher who began teaching second grade this school year in Cleveland Heights. “What so many past students have done with their lives, although astonishing, doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “The writing was on the wall in second grade.” “It begins with family,” he added, “and the families in Beachwood were involved in the schools. My students’ parents put such an emphasis on their children’s getting a proper education, which is partly why so many of them are successful.” When asked if he remembers his second-grade teacher, Jurkovic said yes, Miss Tomiach, and he believes she influenced his teaching career. He also said his mom was always the Gibraltar of his family. Jurkovic truly enjoys each day to the max. In addition to traveling, he loves reading, music, art, architecture, nature and educational television; and always finds something to do, whether in Cleveland or elsewhere. “There is so much to do culturally and in nature right here in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County,” he said. “Often, when I post pictures on Facebook, people will ask where It’s a continuation of these relationships that makes him stand out from the crowd today, five years after retiring. He and his wife, Pat, also a retired school teacher (they were introduced by Nancy Herrick, another Beachwood elementary school teacher), spend their days traveling and absorbing all that Cleveland has to offer. With the help of social media, Jurkovic stays in touch with many of his former students. 10 Beachwood Buzz n May 2015 I'm traveling now, and many times, I'm right here in northeast Ohio. You don't have to go to seemingly exotic, faraway places to find beauty and incredible culture. It's right in your own backyard.” His love for music is no secret. Jurkovic's collection of 45s exceeds 500 and he has about 750 vinyl albums. One of the retirement gifts he received from the Bryden staff was a machine to convert tapes and vinyl to CDs. His favorite British bands are The Rolling Stones, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues and The Who, which he has seen 25 times since 1970 and has tickets to see them in Louisville, Columbus, Seattle, Vancouver, Detroit and Pittsburgh in 2015. He also loves Ireland’s U2 and his favorite American bands are Bruce Springsteen, Beach Boys, Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan, Blue Oyster Cult and Credence Clearwater Revival. Additionally, he enjoys many obscure bands from the 80s and 90s that he got to know on local college radio stations. Jurkovic is still a rocker and estimates he has seen 800-900 concerts in total. When talking about The Who, his all-time favorite band, he proudly shared a story about wearing a Who t-shirt while walking on the beach in San Diego just this past February. A teenager walked up to him, pulled off his headphones, and “My Generation” was the song that the 13-year-old was listening to. “We talked for a while about the band and he told me his dad is going to take him to see them in Los Angeles in 2015. I shared Who stories with the teens and I think they thought I was God!” Jurkovic enthusiastically said with a smile. Jurkovic, who was the recipient of The Plain Dealer Crystal Apple Award in his final year of teaching, has stayed involved with Beachwood schools. He was a volunteer on the Beachwood High School Gallery of Success committee in 2014 and this is his second year as a volunteer on the PTO Scholarship Committee. “I love history. Everything and everyone has a rich, layered intricate history. It's important to remember where we have come from and who has helped us along the way, for that can help us focus on where we are going,” he said. “I am indebted to so many people; circles of life are real. “I loved my career and have always been blessed. It amazed me that so many people supported and trusted me with their flesh and blood. It's still a marvel to me, as is all of life. When you put love out, it comes back.”