Miami High’s Black and Gold Knight: Dr. Hueck

Dr. Hueck at a Amherst College graduation ceremony

By Miguel Reyes, Staff Writer
March 3, 2021

Dr. Hueck has been my chemistry teacher for both Honors during my junior year and AP during my senior year. Also, Dr. Hueck stood as the sponsor of the National Beta Honor Society ever since I became a member in my Sophomore year. What I’m trying to say is that Dr. Hueck is a major part of my high school career. Other than being one of my favorite teachers, he is also a complete person. I’d like for students at Miami Senior High that have never had the privilege to have him as a teacher, to be well informed of who Dr. Hueck is and what he’s done for our school.

Beta Sponsor

Dr. Hueck has been the proud sponsor for the Beta Honor Society Club at Miami Senior High for a total of 32 years. To continue being the sponsor of a club for this long requires an outstanding amount of dedication. Dr. Hueck said, “The kids inspire me. They keep me eager to continue participating in school activities and expressing my school spirit.”

Every teacher has its limits, yet Dr. Hueck believes that he will continue being Beta’s Sponsor as long as he’s a teacher a Miami Senior High. He said, “I enjoy it and I love teaching, of course, and Beta gives me the spirit of the school which keeps me happy.”

Dr. Hueck’s main goal for Beta is to get kids to be more involved in school activities, become leaders, and not just for them to do good in school. He said, “I believe that students need to be more than just academics so that they become well-rounded individuals. It’s not everything about grades, but kids should also have fun and have spirit for the school.”

Being the sponsor of Beta and a chemistry teacher, both of Honors and Advanced-Placement, put a lot of demands on Dr. Hueck’s time. He says, “Being a sponsor for Beta keeps me busy when homecoming season is around. Being a teacher overall keeps me busy, especially when AP exams are nearby.”

A lot of students that know Dr. Hueck may have the misconception that he went to Miami Senior High and joined Beta as a high schooler. However, Dr. Hueck went to Columbine high school in Colorado and joined the Key Club. He said, “I was in Key Club during high school because my school didn’t have Beta, but the Key Club in my high school was exactly like Beta. You were required to have a high GPA and participate a lot, and all the top students were in that club just like all top students are in this Beta club.”

Dr. Hueck with several of his students and beta members

Head of the AP and Science Department

Not only is Dr. Hueck the proud sponsor of the National Beta Honor Society at Miami Senior High, but he’s also been the head of the AP department and Science department at MHS since 2005, which require a lot of effort and planning from him.

For the Science department, Dr. Hueck says, “I support my teachers in their needs for the school. I work on the master schedule, make sure they have their materials needed for classes such as books, science equipment, etc.”

For the AP department, Dr. Hueck says, “I review books, appropriate calculators (AP Calculus, and AP Statistics), plan AP study hall, tutoring sessions, etc.”

During Dr. Hueck’s time as the head of the Science and AP departments, there have been moments of great achievement. For the Science department, Dr. Hueck is proud of winning the Brain Bowl for 3 years in a row. He also points out, “Our biology teachers always get our students to do so well in the EOC.”

For the AP department, Dr. Hueck says, “Our AP program has been recognized by College Board and we were highlighted in the news not long ago for the number of AP courses we teach at MHS and our passing rate.”

Chemistry Teacher

Many chemistry students are aware that Dr. Hueck isn’t easy with his students, but he cares for them and wants them to learn. Some students might not be aware of how fair Dr. Hueck tries to make his classes. “I give extra credit if the students go to tutoring sessions to boost their grades,” he said.

Other than teaching both Chemistry AP and Honors, Dr. Hueck has previously taught other courses throughout his teaching career including Biology, Earth Space, Physical Science, and General Science.

Dr. Hueck’s love for science is easily noticeable as he has taught the subject for a total of 33 years! “I love the students and the spirit of this school!” he said. He also enjoys incorporating science with math.

Background Education

After graduating from Colorado’s Columbine High School in 1983, Dr. Hueck went to the University of Mississippi where he majored in Biology and Chemistry. “I was planning to go to med school because I loved science!” However, once accepted to med/pharmacy school, Dr. Hueck changed his mind. Because his dad had a great job opportunity, Dr. Hueck and his family moved down to Miami.

Not knowing what he wanted to pursue, he tried out teaching at Miami Senior High in 1988, and he said, “I loved it.” While teaching at Miami High, Dr. Hueck went to the University of Miami where he earned a master’s degree in Science Education degree in 1990, and to Nova Southeastern University where he earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership in 2008.

Dr. Hueck, 25 years old, with 3 beta officers

Teaching Accomplishments

The winner of countless awards for his teaching excellence, Dr. Hueck is a very complete teacher. His honors include: Florida Science Teacher Association Science Educator Award, Florida Governor’s Excellence in Education Award, MDCPS District Teacher of the Year, and Phebe and Zephaniah Swift Moore Teaching Award from Amherst College.

For multiple years (1992, 1994, 1999-2007) he won ‘Most Significant Teacher,’ by the Miami High’s valedictorian and/or salutatorian. Dr. Hueck said those awards make him proudest because “my students chose me for those awards. Miami High math teacher and proud alumna Ms. Munguia was the valedictorian her year and she chose me!”

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