'I want to make things better': Greg Hackenberg engages through teaching, music, more

Greg Hackenberg has two children: son Calvin and daughter Maisie.

Greg Hackenberg with his son Calvin Hackenberg at The Ground Floor coffee shop.

Greg Hackenberg moved to Martinsville 16 years ago and taught his way through Martinsville City Public Schools before finding his niche.

Hackenberg is from Erie, Pennsylvania, and after college, 16 years ago, he ended up in Martinsville in a sort of roundabout way. He had visited what he thought was a West Virginia a job fair. It ended up being a job fair for western Virginia, and after a phone interview, he decided to move to the area.

"Then I came down and I loved the community, I loved the music scene and the small town life and just how you kind of get to know everybody," Hackenberg said. "You can go to a restaurant or anywhere and just know a bunch of people."

He has been married to his wife, Amanda Hackenberg, for almost 15 years; their anniversary will be on June 14. They have two children, Calvin, 4, and Maisie, 1. They have two dogs, Toby and Willie; two cats, June and Cash; and a leopard gecko named Liam.

He has bachelor's degrees in early childhood education and elementary education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in education with specialization in curriculum and instruction from Concordia University Portland.

Hackenberg is a National Board Certified teacher through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. He is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) teacher at Martinsville Middle School, where he teaches an elective course called GO TEC (Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers).

"It's an exclusive Virginia program," Hackenberg said. The program is through GO Virginia, an economic development initiative.

Earlier, he taught third grade for three years, fourth grade for three years and then fifth grade for four years, all at Albert Harris Elementary School (AHES). He then for the PREP Academy for a few years.

Next he taught sixth grade science at Martinsville Middle School (MMS) for three years and has now been teaching students in grades sixth through eighth for the GO TEC program at MMS for three years.

In GO TEC, Hackenberg gets to teach the students about using all kinds of "cool technology," he said, such as a desktop mill CNC machine, a Dobot Magician programmable robotic arm, laser-cutter engravers, 3D printers and welding simulators.

"Students can get very rudimentary, basic knowledge of high tech careers," he said. "The goal of GO TEC is to expose kids at the middle school level about in-demand, good paying jobs that are needed in our region."

Hackenberg said he hopes programs like this one creates a pipeline for when the students get to high school so they are motivated to participate in dual enrollment classes and "get interested" in those fields and careers that are in-demand in the area.

His aspirations to become a teacher began with his school experience as a child, he said.

"I didn't like school when I was a kid and I wanted to do my best to make learning fun and exciting and really engage kids with the content in relevant, exciting ways," Hackenberg said. "I love my community and I want to make things better."

"I never would have thought I’d be a CTE teacher," Hackenberg said. "But it worked out, and I think I’m doing a pretty good job."

His favorite part of his job is the afterschool activities with his students. He coaches a LEGO Robotics league, Odyssey of the Mind and VEX Robotics club. Those clubs compete in local and regional competitions for robotics.

He's been playing music from a young age and he now plays guitar, ukulele, harmonica and percussion instruments, and he also sings. Hackenberg plays in three bands: one at his church and the others Pirates of the Piedmont and Parrots of the Piedmont.

He likes to spend time with his kids, go canoeing and fishing, see live music, go to the Uptown Farmer's Market, visit the local museums and have the occasional lightsaber battle with his son.

Monique Holland (276)-734-9603

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