GRAND JUNCTION — Each week in the Free Press teacher feature series, we ask a different local teacher five questions about his or her life in the field of education. This week’s teacher is Judy Golden.

Name: Judy Golden
She teaches at: Pomona Elementary
She teaches: Fourth grade
Years she’s been teaching: 25
Hometown: Grand Junction
Favorite Color: I like all colors.
Favorite Book: The Bible and “Ruby Holler” by Sharon Creech
Favorite Pastime: Time with my family ... traveling, cross country skiing or a trip to Delta for drive-in movies.

What made you pick the subject or grade level you teach?

I had taught fourth grade when I began my teaching career and decided to return to that grade level. I was fortunate to join Kristi Mease, who was an incredible fourth grade teacher at that grade level at that time.

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

I would have to say Don Fiscus. He was my sixth grade teacher. He is a kind and thoughtful person that also was one of my mentor teachers while I student taught and later when I started working at Pomona. He continues to hold a special place in my heart.

What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened in a class you were teaching?

Wow … it must have been the time that I was teaching in Las Vegas, and I asked parents to come and share their occupations. The occupations ranged from a captain in the Air Force at Nellis Air Force Base. He designed a model of the jets they flew. A dancer from the Flamingo joined us for the eventful day too. She wore all the feathers, sequins and makeup. She shared about her career in the Moscow Circus to dancing at the Flamingo to modeling in the City of Lights. The other surprise was a chef from one of the casinos. He brought in a wedding cake that was at least 5 feet tall. He decorated the cake with 35 kindergartners. We had frosting everywhere!

What’s something your students don’t know about you?

I don’t think I told them that two years ago in Costa Rica I was part of a team developing a new unit for Project Learning Tree. While there I went on the highest, fastest and longest zip-line in the world.

If you could go anywhere or do anything for summer vacation, where would you go and what would you do?

That’s easy … I would love to take my family to San Pedro, Belize, to snorkel in the second largest coral reef in the world, climb the stairs of one of the many Mayan temples and enjoy time together.