Meet the Faculty: Paul Henderson

Our series of faculty profiles continues with runner, researcher, electrician, musician, skier, snowboarder, and—oh yes—teacher Paul Henderson of the History & Social Science Department. 

Right out of high school, Mr. Henderson worked as an electrician and an electrical broker for three years before turning his energies to college. At the University of New Hampshire, he studied U.S. History and Secondary Education, earning his Masters degree in the latter. For 20 years, he has taught American History, Psychology, and Neuroanatomy in public and private school settings before joining Brewster’s faculty this year. “I started to teach because serving others has been a major drive throughout my life. As soon as I first stepped into the classroom I knew that I was home,” he says, adding that he is driven to provide an authentic, engaging teaching experience that is informed by his research and passion for promoting social change. “Teaching the social sciences is an opportunity to bring history, the mind, and the behavior of humans into one lens to truly dissect the actions of people in society.”

In addition to teaching, Mr. Henderson has a passion for running—he’s been on trails all over the United States and has run more than 35 ultra marathons. He’s even run all of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks and trekked across the Granite State unassisted. “I have run the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim unassisted, too,” he shares, leaving out the fact that this is a 42-mile route described as “not for the faint of heart” in what we think may be a colossal understatement. Upon hearing this, we have one question: What is his go-to running shoe?  “A lot of runners have particular shoes. I really don’t have one. The lowest cost usually works, but if I have the funds I’ll always buy Hoka,” he says.

Winter does not slow this athlete down: Mr. Henderson has also enjoyed snowboarding for more than 30 years on mountains across New England, and regularly cross-country skis with his family. “I’ve been known to just run out to remote frozen ponds with my skates across my back and just enjoy being where many have not been,” he says.

Creatively, Mr. Henderson writes and plays music: “I listen to all kinds of music, but I prefer to perform folk music. I love performing just with my guitar and a good microphone.” He’s also an avid reader and researcher who is always looking for material for his educational pursuits. He has traveled all over the United States journaling and collecting artifacts for authentic classroom material. He once ran the entire distance of the Erie Canal while collecting artifacts for his lessons! “During my adventures, I’ve collected everything from leaves to paintings,” he says. “Most of my artifacts are maps, pictures, and (really bad) drawings of the battlefields I’m running. I also have collected coins and flowers from sites–really anything that will help me remember how special the locations were.” Mr. Henderson lives on the New Hampshire Seacoast with his wife and son and their three cats: Luca, Raggedy, and June.