Newsmakers 2014: Bob Clubbs, teacher at Jackson High School, founder of 'FB Weather with Bob Clubbs'

Bob Clubbs says he loves to make people smile and laugh, and he does it in a number of roles: husband, father, teacher and, most recently, as a "social mediarologist" who shares news about the weather via his Facebook page, "FB Weather with Bob Clubbs."

"What I love about being a social mediarologist is presenting important information in a way that is easy for everyone to understand," he says. "My No. 1 goal as a social mediarologist is to make sure that folks in Southeast Missouri know what to expect from the weather so they can prepare accordingly. Because let's be honest: when it comes to extreme weather, 'Ain't nobody got time for that.'"

Clubbs has more than 8,000 followers on Facebook, and in early March, he launched his own "Weather with Bob" app for the iPhone, with more versions to follow.

Meanwhile, Clubbs teaches public speaking and theater at Jackson High School, oversees the Drama Club and coaches the speech and debate teams.

"What I love most about teaching is connecting with students and helping them discover and nurture their talents and abilities," he says. "I love seeing the transformation that happens when a student begins to feel a sense of mastery and take ownership for his/her own work. I love launching the leaders of tomorrow!"

His goal as a teacher, he says, is providing clear expectations and guidance to his students, along with encouragement and, sometimes, "tough love."

"My advice to new teachers is always 'hang in there.' Nothing can really prepare you for your first year of teaching," he says. "In fact, I still remember my first day when the first bell rang and I closed the door and faced 'my' class for the first time. It's a great feeling, but so much of teaching can be overwhelming. I think that new teachers underestimate how much they have to do that is not teaching."

--Robyn Gautschy