Whether it is being a collegiate athlete, a dairy farmer in Ireland, or a Trinity teacher, Jimmy Backes is a guy with a lot of experiences. Backes has been teaching at Trinity for a while now, and a lot has gone into the process of becoming a teacher, which has not been a typical linear journey. I had the privilege of interviewing him and learned all about who he is not only as a teacher but also as a person.
Backes was brought up in Minnesota, where he was a paperboy, worked at a golf course, and later ran D3 cross country and track at St. John’s University, which is a private all-male college in central Minnesota. The college decision seemed easy as Backes knew what he was looking for. “I picked it because I could hunt on campus and fish on campus, and there were hundreds of miles of running trails, so as a person who loves nature, it was the perfect school for me.” Being a collegiate athlete was difficult, but he describes it as a rewarding experience. “It taught me discipline and gave me a community.” Then after college he worked on a dairy farm in Ireland, which is definitely an experience not all Trinity teachers can say they have. He describes Ireland as a wonderful place which he heavily recommends. “If you want to travel somewhere and just have a great international experience, Ireland is a really accessible place. They like tourists, and they speak English there. People were friendly and people were very curious to why I was there.” All these outdoor life experiences, such as farming or running cross country, make a lot of sense for Backes as he spends a lot of his free time in nature doing activities such as hiking and golfing. After being a farmer, he moved back home and became a teacher, later moving to Mississippi, and then to Louisville to Trinity.
Being a teacher was the perfect job for Backes because of its many challenges. “I like puzzles, critical thinking, and putting things together.” The problem with a lot of other jobs which also require these skills is that they do not allow him to form great non-professional relationships, such as the ones he has with his students and co-workers at Trinity, looking up to other experienced social studies teachers such as Keith Rapp and Blake Napper.
Furthermore, he started off college at St. John’s on a pre-law track, but after shadowing a law firm, he realized, “They had a lot of really lonely people there, and school is not like that. School is a place where you build an authentic community.” This is a big reason why he chose Trinity, as he loves the community here and believes it to be a very real thing and not just something they advertise. He wants to have a legacy here to be one of kindness. “If someone I taught can just say that I did one kind thing for me, I remember him for that. Those are the moments that we shoot for with anything.”
Backes’ path to Trinity may not have been your everyday story, but this gave him a perspective on the world which goes far beyond just the classroom. By choosing the intricate puzzle of teaching and forming men of faith at character, he has found his place in our community. With his goal of being remembered for kindness, he is well on his way to cross the finish line.
