As the school year comes to a close, seniors won’t be the only ones saying goodbye to Kaiser. Multiple teachers will be leaving our cast of staff, all for different reasons. However, few have as much reputation as Mr. Gordon Chun. All the way up in room C305, he’s a well-known face: A chemistry teacher, a physics teacher, and a club advisor to one of the oldest extracurricular clubs. He began speaking of his retirement last year, but it was only finalized a few months ago.
He began teaching in January of 1995, taking over for another science teacher at the time, marking 30 (and a half) years of a teaching career. He initially pursued pre-med in college, wanting to be a pediatrician or an obstetrician. But, just half a semester before graduation, he realized that medicine wasn’t his path; he was coaching basketball at the time, and working in various temporary teaching programs, and it made him realize he wanted to work with kids, not in medicine. He stated confidently that he has no regrets, “No regrets at all…It’s not all about money…When you pick your job, pick something that makes you happy.”
He’s always taught at Kaiser, even as a substitute for a brief period of time to “dip his toes” into teaching. However, he says he didn’t always want to work at Kaiser. In an interview, he stated, “I was offered the opportunity and first turned it down, to finish my second degree. My wife told me, ‘What are you doing? That’s your alma mater!’ [so] I called back, and asked ‘could I still take the job?’”
For nearly as long as he has been shaping young minds in the classroom, this teacher has also guided Kaiser High School’s vibrant LEO Club. This enduring commitment began just half a year into his teaching journey when two students, whose families had ties to the international LEO Lions Club, approached him to be their advisor. The connection was immediate and personal. “It was perfect,” he explains, “because my parents and my friends’ parents were in the LIONS.” Today, the LEO Club remains a powerful force for good, actively participating in significant local initiatives like the Hawaii Kai Christmas Parade, the Hahaione Fun Fair, and a food drive at the City Capital, often working alongside newer volunteering groups. Even after three decades in this role, his passion remains palpable. “I enjoy teaching immensely, but it’s the students who truly energize me,” he expresses. “They keep me current and connected. That’s one of the most wonderful aspects of teaching—it keeps you feeling young.”
When asked about retirement, he said, “I’m not gonna be excited [yet]- like on a plane, I’m not gonna be excited until I’m on the plane. That’s my analogy- I’m actually scared, because I’ll have to clean this room [laughs]. 30 years of stuff. I don’t want to leave it for the next teacher to clean it.” His biggest fears were losing everything he’d done, from his work to the LEO club itself, which currently has no teacher to replace the role of club advisor. In short, “I’m excited, but scared because I hope I’m leaving at the right time.”
His last words of advice to his students are reminiscent of the many things he’s stated in his teachings, like “SPA: Be safe, be prepared, be aware”, and “Don’t be a mindless zombie- or a bonehead.” Most importantly, “Don’t just watch-things, y’know, like TikTok [and] social media. Go out and actually do things with purpose. That’s how you live a good life.”
Thank you Mr. Chun, for all your years at Kaiser High School!
