What do they do all summer? How 5 teachers are spending their summer break

But across south-central Idaho, educators stay busy when school’s out for the summer. Some pursue hobbies, take classes or go to workshops to further their education, or work a summer job to supplement their income.

Here’s a look at how five teachers are spending their summer:

Traveling to Iceland

Name: Kristi Henkelmann

Subject: Second grade

School: I.B. Perrine Elementary School (Twin Falls)

Kristi Henkelmann and her husband are both teachers and saved money for a couple of years to take an international trip this summer. Their family members are in California and Oregon, so nearly all of their school breaks are spent there.

But in June, “we went to Iceland as a trip just for the two of us,” Henkelmann said.

The second grade teacher at I.B. Perrine Elementary School and her husband, a teacher at Shoshone High School, were originally thinking about going to New Zealand. But they discovered plane tickets were too expensive.

Instead, Henkelmann searched on kayak.com using a feature that shows affordable flights around the world. Iceland popped up and there were beautiful photos, she said, so the couple decided it would be their vacation destination.

During their 10-day trip, they visited the capital city of Reykjavík, camped at several places including a black sand beach, went on hikes and traveled along the bottom half of the island’s Ring Road.

One highlight: taking a boat ride at a glacier lagoon. “It was probably one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had,” Henkelmann said.

And as soccer fans, the couple experienced Iceland residents rooting for their team, which competed at the European championships. “The whole country was abuzz for their team,” Henkelmann said. “It was cool to be part of that.”

Working as a lifeguard supervisor

Name: Troy Palmer

Subject: Middle school computers and keyboarding, and high school physical education and health

School: Kimberly Middle School and Kimberly High School

It’s the 33rd summer Troy Palmer has spent working at Dierkes Lake. He’s now the lifeguard supervisor from early June through late August, overseeing eight full-time lifeguards and one part-time worker — most of whom are high schoolers. He creates a work schedule and provides weekly training sessions.

When Palmer was in college, a friend worked as a lifeguard at the lake. His friend asked, “Why don’t you take a class and come work down here?” Palmer recalls. So he did.

He worked as a lifeguard throughout college. And once he started teaching, he decided to continue over the summers to make a little extra money.

Palmer met his wife while she was working at a concession stand near the lake, and years later he started bringing their children with him to work. “It’s a good place for them to hang out during the summertime,” he said.

Palmer sometimes sees his students at the lake over the summer. “It gives me another avenue of getting to know them, as well as their families, too,” he said.

When he isn’t working, he enjoys kayaking and practicing scuba diving at Dierkes. “It’s a good fit for my lifestyle in the summertime.”

Visiting mom and going to a conference

Name: Jorge Pulleiro

Subject: Spanish

School: Wood River Middle School (Hailey)

This summer, Pulleiro — an Argentina native who’s been in the United States for 20 years — took a trip to Argentina to visit his mother. And he went to a four-day conference earlier this month in Miami for the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

“It was a great conference,” he said. “Miami is a very cultural place, so my focus was to learn about Cuban Americans and their history as to why they came Florida.”

Pulleiro received a scholarship from the Sun Valley Center for the Arts to attend the conference.

Leading river trips

Name: Tim Gunderson

Subject: Math and geology

School: Burley High School and the College of Southern Idaho’s Mini-Cassia Center

Tim Gunderson is a river guide during the summer. It’s his 27th year of guiding six-day whitewater rafting trips on the Salmon River for a company called Helfrich River Outfitters.

He got started the summer after he graduated from Idaho State University when his adviser told him about the opportunity.

“I just fell in love with it,” Gunderson said.

And the experience ties back into teaching. When Gunderson is out on the river, he observes the river flow, bank and erosion. “It all fits into the way I teach geology,” he said.

Plus, being on a trip with the same group of people for six days gives him a chance to see them in a different light. He said it gives him a better appreciation of his students, where they come from and what they’re dealing with.

Protecting forests

Name: Terry Merrill

Subject: Assistant principal

School: East Minico Middle School (Rupert) and West Minco Middle School (Paul)

Terry Merrill, an assistant principal, spends his summers working for the U.S. Forest Service. It’s his 27th season on the job.

This summer, he’s in the recreation department and spends most of his time in Rock Creek Canyon. He’s also a forest protection officer.

“We try to get people to comply with the rules and educate them about safety and being good citizens,” Merrill said.

During past seasons, he has built trails in the South Hills and fought wildfires. He has also worked in fire prevention.

In 1990, Merrill applied to work for the Forest Service after hearing about the job from a friend. Merrill said he was getting bored during the summertime. The Forest Service had received a grant to build more trails, he said, and were looking for workers.

Merrill said he enjoys spending time in the mountains and doing manual labor “instead of the mental labor we do in the classroom.”

He also welcomes the opportunity to make a little extra money. He has four children: one who’s in college and another who starts this fall.

Working for the Forest Service is a wonderful job, Merrill said. But he’s ready to go back to school when summer ends. “By the end of August, I’m ready to get back into the classroom with kids.”