When Cheri and Randy went to a college dorm mixer, neither was looking forward to it. “I was shy and didn’t like going to mixers,” explains Cheri. “I was into math and science, so I wasn’t like most girls.” On the other side of the room that night was another shy college student who gathered the courage to approach Cheri. “I thought she was cute,” remembers Randy. “So I went and asked her to dance.”
Cheri recalls her response with a grin, “I’ve never been a ‘huggy’ person, but when Randy took me in his arms I just relaxed… it was really nice.” That dance became the start of a romance made in engineering-science-math heaven!
The couple married and Randy started working as a mechanical engineer while Cheri began a teaching career. Randy was eventually transferred to Oklahoma City by AT&T and Cheri accepted a teaching position at Santa Fe High School in Edmond. But, when AT&T closed its Oklahoma City operations, Randy found himself faced with a career dilemma. “I had spent over 20 years as an engineer and found myself in a place where I could do something different,” explains Randy.
At the same time, Cheri heard that Santa Fe needed another Science teacher. Randy decided to give it a try. “One of the first challenges was the drive to work every day. Cheri liked to use the time to plan her day, but I wanted to listen to NPR so adjustments had to be made,” laughs Randy. “As I learned to become a teacher, Cheri became my mentor. She taught me how to do lesson plans and how to relate to the kids…it was quite a transition.”
Seven years later, the Blackwoods have become a dynamic teaching duo. As sponsors of the robotics team and the National Honor Society, they were nominated by their students for the Inspiring Couples program. One student wrote: “…they inspire me by living out a happy example of what marriage should be. They share interests and values, and despite being busy, still find time for each other. Teaching is stressful and they help each other become better educators…they work hard to serve others and that clearly has a positive impact on their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood exemplify the teamwork and enthusiasm needed for a marriage to thrive.”