Meet the Team – HaeJohn Medley, Art Instructional Specialist

HaeJohn Frederick Medley first arrived at Eagle Rock in the early 2000s as a student teacher from Hastings College in Nebraska. He returned the next year — our 37th trimester or ER 37 — as a Public Allies Fellow focusing on Art, and now joins us in ER 83 as our fulltime Art Instructional Specialist.

If you ask, HaeJohn will share that his first job at Eagle Rock helped form who he would become as a teacher and created a standard to which he held other education institutions.

Now, HaeJohn is guiding our students through the world of art and its many applications and uses. He is helping students explore new mediums, tackle challenging projects, materialize ideas, and empower imagination, creativity, and problem solving.

We asked our HaeJohn to tell us a little about his career and personal life, and this is what he shared:

Eagle Rock: Where did you grow up?

HaeJohn Frederick Medley: I grew up mostly in Las Vegas, Nev., but there were stops in Taegu, South Korea and Clovis, New Mexico along the way.

Eagle Rock: What’s something that first attracted you to Eagle Rock that hasn’t changed over the years?

HaeJohn: Eagle Rock helped form who I am as a teacher and created the standard to which I held the schools I worked for. I have always sought to work for organizations that nurture progress and growth in both staff and students, and that’s what Eagle Rock continues to offer.

Eagle Rock: Tell us about your hobbies or interests outside of work.

HaeJohn: It’s always about art — but I also enjoy eating, from home-cooked meals to full dining experiences. I also enjoy video games, football, wandering aimlessly, finding spots on Google Maps that look neat and checking them out, and relaxing with my dog Turbo.

Eagle Rock: What superpower do you have, or would you like to have?

HaeJohn: I may have thought about this a lot. I’d be a mix of three characters: Toph from Avatar: The Last Air Bender; Magneto from Marvel, and Kyle Rayner from Green Lantern. So, an earth bender with the ability to form any material at will with mere thought!

Eagle Rock: What reality television show would you like to be on and why would you win?

HaeJohn: BBC has a pile of solid art reality shows. I would be on one called Home is Where the Art Is. Three artists compete for one commission. All are different and all get the same debrief. I’d win because I’m versatile with materials and I feel like I’m an empath at times, and it’s been helpful in my commission work in the past.

Eagle Rock: What’s something most people would be surprised to know about you?

HaeJohn: That I was once a correctional officer. It’s not really the vibe I put off. I’m too nice.