VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT – James Thomas II
“I was born in Jacksonville, FL in 1990 and moved to Paris, TN where I graduated high school in May 2009. I returned to Jacksonville during June of the same year to begin my academic career at Jacksonville University where I ultimately graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in History in April 2014 and later a Master’s degree in Education in May 2016.
What ultimately led me to Fernandina was the prospect of a teaching job with the school district and to reunite with my family who also reside in Fernandina. When I moved up to the island in September 2015, I remembered going to the museum and eventually wanted to volunteer which I have done since 2016.
While living in Fernandina, I became a substitute teacher with the Nassau County School District in February 2016. Although I taught every grade, I mostly specialized in middle and high school which included a stint as a long-term substitute teacher at Fernandina Beach High School for the 2020-2021 school year. I was also a substitute teacher and U.S. History Exam tutor in Camden County, Georgia. I currently work as a youth associate for the Jacksonville Public Library.