Third time is still a charm for USU student
USU student Dirk Henningsen is pursuing a recreation degree with a minor in business. What makes him different? He’s working toward his second degree, and it’s his third time returning to college after 20 years since his last stint.
Henningsen, raised in Seattle, Wash., attended college at Central Washington University but said he dropped out to work as an electrician with his father and brother for the family business.
“I learned that partying and education don’t match up,” he said.
Henningsen said he later left the business for Cache Valley, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from USU and worked as a fourth-grade school teacher in Providence for 17 years.
He said he earned a teacher of the year award twice during his career and was a candidate for the Huntsman award, and organized many after-school programs such as art, theater and chess clubs.
He said his biggest claim to fame was the Youth Environmental Science, or YES club. The club was an after school program that included outdoors activities such as hiking, painting the school, recycling and planting.
“We tell kids not to do drugs, but we don’t tell them what to do instead of drugs,” Henngingsen said. “That’s why I designed the YES club.”
He said he had a dog named Bo that was trained to be in class with him each year, and he said he had the idea of encouraging his students to recycle by letting them pet “Bo the Wonder Dog” each time they recycled.
Now, Henningsen is pursuing his passion for environmental science and alternative energy as he works on his second degree, with the aim of creating a successful energy-efficient themed park in Paradise. The park would include winter tubing, skiing and other outdoor activities.
He said he would also like to run a recreation facility. He is currently taking climate control, landscape design and yoga, but his favorite class is climate control.
“I had a good understanding of the climate before, but I’m learning so many details,” he said.
“Dirk is an enthusiastic and sincere lifetime learner, always studying something new. Dirk is very active in class, and regularly contributes to the dialogue,” said Rob Davies, who teaches the climate control class.
Henningsen said he is working on his bucket list, which includes returning to school every 20 years. His goal is to get involved in student activities as much as he can. Apart from running for ASUSU diversity VP, he is a member of the Diversity club, the International club, and the Black Student Union, and is looking to be involved in more.
“Diversity is where I really fit in,” he said. “Even if I don’t win, I’ll be an assistant or something. I know I’ve inspired more people to vote. There’s something in my personality that helps stimulate others in a positive way. I work better in groups, with people.”
“He got us really involved in recycling and projects,” said Bill Sproat, a former elementary student of Henningsen’s, who remembers being a part of the YES club. “He was into going green before the whole blue going green thing was big. He was very involved with all of the students and he saved everyone’s work.”
Henningsen said he enjoys playing sports, such as volleyball and basketball. He has run five marathons since the age of 45, but says he has a long way to go so he can catch up to his father, who ran 42 marathons and completed his last one at 81.
Henningsen currently lives in Providence with his wife and their 13-year-old daughter, and owns four acres of land in Paradise, where he wants to build his dream park. He said their daughter was adopted when Henningsen was 45 years old, and she is currently an honor roll student, a singer and a dancer.
He said his wife, an occupational therapist who works at the CPD, has been very supportive of him, and that he wouldn’t have become a school teacher without her support.
“Twenty years after I get this degree, I’ll go back to school and be partying again,” Henningsen said.
– chari.a.i@aggiemail.usu.edu