Neil Fockler ~ Faculty

            Born in a small mining town in the South Dakota Black Hills, Neil Fockler never lost his love of streams and waterfalls, mountains and small towns, a history that informed both his teaching and his second love, photography. He began his teaching career in Fallon, NV and came to Sparks High in 1965, where he taught for almost 33 years until his untimely death in February 1998. In addition, he coached basketball, kept the chains at football games, and announced baseball games.

            At Sparks and at the University of Nevada, Neil encouraged students to recognize literature and life in film and in print and helped students to become writers. He encouraged them to develop their best efforts, giving them the confidence to write. One of his favorite assignments was the small-town research paper – a project that involved research, interviews, and writing.

            Neil was also a teacher of teachers. As head of the Northern Nevada Writing Project Open Session, he encouraged teachers to become writers, knowing that their confidence in themselves would help them to teach their own students to write. For both teachers and former students, some of whom have become teachers themselves, Neil’s spirit, and love of teaching lives on at Sparks High.

Inducted 2019