Eric Griffith

My story began in the great city of Hermantown in the year 1978. I had Kindergarten with Ms. Brown in the exact same classroom that my daughter would eventually attend Kindergarten 32 years later. Like many others, I would say that I had a very memorable and enjoyable career at Hermantown, graduating with the senior class of 1997. While memories of playing football, playing percussion in the bands, singing in the choir, and dissecting cats in Ms. Drontle’s Anatomy and Physiology Class stand-out, one of my other fond memories is having my mom as a teacher in 10th grade English. 

My mom taught 10th grade English at Hermantown for 33 years, finally retiring in 2008. She followed in the footsteps of her father, my grandfather, who was also a teacher, coach, and mentor.  Like my grandfather before her, I saw the same dedication to education, and importantly, to the students, in my mom. She would stay up late every night, correcting papers or preparing lesson plans. She was always willing to stay after school and talk with students, many of whom simply stopped by to say “hi.” And I certainly remember attending absolutely every Hermantown High School event with her, starting at a young age. What I learned from my mom, and many of the other teachers at Hermantown, was that teaching requires hard work and dedication. I also learned what an incredibly important role a teacher can play as a mentor in a student’s life. I try to use this same approach as I mentor students in my role as a Nurse Practitioner. To sum it up, it requires having a dedication to education and, and more importantly, the student. 

Now, I leapt ahead in my timeline a bit, so let me return to the year 1997. After high school, I attended the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, where I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I began my career as a Registered Nurse and in 2002, married my beautiful wife, who I happened to meet and start dating in my 10th grade year at Hermantown. Yes, we are high-school sweethearts. We moved back to Duluth where my wife attended Medical School and I completed my Masters in Nursing at the College of St. Scholastica. During that time, my wife and I spent countless hours studying and precepting under some amazing health-care professionals. 

I began practicing as a Nurse Practitioner in 2006 and currently work as a Nurse Practitioner in Pediatric and Adult Endocrinology/Diabetes. In my position, I have the opportunity to educate patients regarding disease pathology, possible complications, treatment options, and goals of treatment. I also have the opportunity to precept students and mentor nurse practitioners who are either new to practice, or new to the field of Endocrinology/Diabetes. My patients will have heard this many times and I truly believe this, “Knowledge is Power.” We never stop learning and everything we do learn from books and experience will help us make informed decisions in the future. 

Between 2006 and now, my wife and I have had two beautiful children. Both of my children were born in Rochester, NY, where my wife and I started our careers. It was during this time that we fully began to understand the importance of school systems and supportive communities in which to raise our children. In 2014, we made the decision to move back to Hermantown. A supportive and tight knit community, where even if you don’t know someone's name, there is a good chance you will recognize their face. Our families living nearby, the community, and Hermantown Schools were paramount in our decision to move home. 

Since relocating back to Hermantown, we have been able to reconnect with old friends, build fantastic new relationships, and watch our children grow and experience many of the same cherished memories that we did in our youth. I have had the opportunity to help coach in the sports of soccer, basketball, and football. I have enjoyed walking the same hallways of the school that I attended.  A few of the same teachers that I had are still at Hermantown, and now I have friends that I attended school with teaching in the Hermantown Schools. It is quite often that I reflect on how fortunate we are to have had the opportunity to move back into this wonderful community. 

As I discussed in my biography, the community of Hermantown and Hermantown Schools were paramount to my and my wife’s decision to move our family home. I have been lucky enough to give back to the community in my career as a Nurse Practitioner, as a coach, and as a dedicated parent. I want to ensure that the legacy of Hermantown Schools, and the community at large continues. As I move forward in my life, I see an opportunity to give back to the schools, the community, and the students by serving on the Hermantown School Board. 

First, I want to make sure that all children are supported in their education and growth. I want to ensure that there are ample opportunities for students. Experiences to explore and grow, both in education and life. I want to see kids who struggle in school supported and helped succeed. For the kids that school comes easy to, I want to see them challenged to their full potential. I want the opportunities available for kids that enjoy sports, arts, and civic duty to remain available. While this can be difficult given the financial restraints that every school faces, I believe that if we don’t set the bar high, we are not forced to achieve greatness. In the end, I want to make sure that every child that graduates from Hermantown has the same experience that I did. So when they eventually have children, they will decide to move back to the Hermantown community and have their children attend Hermantown Schools. 

Secondly, I want to make sure that our teachers are supported. Seeing the dedication of my grandfather, and my mom, helped shape my dedication to education. It influenced my understanding of what it takes to be a teacher. I was also able to witness first-hand, the profound and positive impact that a teacher can have in a child’s life. Teachers currently face hard times. This includes a changing landscape in education as more students choose to attend Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), long hours with crowded classrooms, and the impacts of both AI and social media influencing student behavior and curriculum success. I want to make sure that our teachers are given the resources that they need to help our children learn and grow. This may come in many forms that will likely require new ideas. From changing the currently accepted school day and routine, to investment in infrastructure and technology. As I have learned in my career, it is extremely difficult to achieve a given goal if the resources are not available. I want to make sure our teachers have the support and resources necessary to help our children succeed. 

Please vote for me, Eric Griffith, for Hermantown school board. Give me the chance to set the bar high, to make some difficult decisions, and come up with new ideas, and in the end, help our children succeed. Let's make them ready for their lives after graduation, and in the end, look back fondly on their education and experience at Hermantown, so they too will want their children to attend Hermantown Schools. Thank you!