We’re sure that you’ve seen him smiling in the halls and greeting students. If you haven’t, make sure to stop by and give a warm greeting to Mr. Totten, a new addition to MIA’s Fine Arts Department. 

Mr. Totten was born in St. Petersburg, FL, but later moved to Wisconsin. He claims that he became a “cheese head” and graduated from the University of Wisconsin where he met his wife. She longed for warmer weather, so Mr. Totten brought her down to Florida where they began raising their three children; Elliot, Julian, and Helen.

This is Mr. Totten’s first year here at Marco Island Academy. Let’s take a look at some of his other firsts.

What is the First Thing You Do Every Morning?

Mr. Totten’s response was simply, “COFFEE!!!!!”

Who Was Your First Celebrity Crush?

Mr. Totten’s very first celebrity crush was Gene Simmons from KISS. The lead bassist known as “The Demon” co-founded the band KISS in 1973.

What Was the First Movie You Saw in Theatres?

The young Mr. Totten saw The Sound of Music in theatres. According to him it still remains as one of his favorite things.

What Was Your First Car?

Mr. Totten was cruising around in a mini-station wagon for a while. He says it was “not so cool looking”, but he was happy with it because he knew he could fit his equipment and guitars in it.

What Was Your First Job?

Mr. Totten’s first place of employment was at his high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he was a custodian. Because of his smaller stature, there was one instance where he had to clean the inside of a hot water boiler because none of the other employees were small enough to fit.

When Did You First Know You Wanted to Become a Teacher?

His dreams of becoming a rockstar required him to be free during the evenings and weekends. He channeled his love for summer camps as a child and began thinking about teaching. It was the perfect job that would work with his schedule, but also cater to his needs. He thoroughly enjoyed his successes as a rockstar, but also his time spent in the classroom. He claims, 

“All my time on the stage helped me in my classroom and all my time in my classroom helped me on stage.”

Mr. Totten truly is a creative addition to MIA’s Masterpiece of an Arts Department. We are so thankful for his presence here at Marco Island Academy!