Hazard brings fresh perspective to computer science

St. Martin’s Episcopal School welcomed Jack Hazard as its new Upper and Middle School Computer Science and Innovation + Design Teacher this school year.

Hazard was born and raised in New York City and lived there throughout his childhood. As a child, he developed an interest in art and product design.

“As a boy, I loved cars and planes, like most kids, but I also liked the idea of choosing colors and materials,” Hazard said.

In the hopes of becoming an artist, Hazard attended art school for college and then the Rhode Island School of Design for his bachelor's degree in Arts, with a focus on Industrial Design. He then proceeded to get his master’s degree at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Hazard previously taught at ITT Technical Institute and Delgado Community College, teaching drafting and game design classes at both. Growing up in a family of teachers, Hazard wanted to join the educational field as well.

“My grandparents, my aunts, and my uncles were all teachers and in their own way, my parents were educators in their fields,” Hazard said. “Also, my sister is a teacher.”

He lived in Rhode Island and Massachusetts for a few years before moving back to New York. He moved to New Orleans in 2009 with his wife who was born and raised in the city.

Hazard enjoys the teaching environment at St. Martin’s, and he loves the people and the school itself. His daughter also attends St. Martin’s and is a member of the Seedling Class.

“She is learning so much, so fast,” Hazard said.

Hazard admits that teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic had been a new experience, but he concedes that he has no frame of reference for how the school normally operates since his first visit to St. Martin’s had been during the spring, just as the pandemic was starting.

Outside of his classes, Hazard wants to start a game design club next year, and he hopes to make game design a tradition at St. Martin’s. The first class will lay the foundation for the group project and he hopes that in following years classes will improve and enhance the game.

When not in the classroom, Hazard has many unique hobbies and talents beyond computer science.

“I can juggle, and [I] manage a public garden in New Orleans that used to be an abandoned lot in the Upper 9th Ward.”

Hazard’s talents in many areas are sure to bring a fresh perspective to St. Martin’s. His favorite part of teaching though is working on long projects with his students in order to tell a story.

“Either in game design or graphic design, students can come up with stories in their projects.”