Christopher Tims: He's driven to make an impact on people's lives, lift up others

It is his mission to give back to the community and people who have given him so much.

Born to Kimberly and Lloyd Tims Jr., Tims is grateful to his parents for the stable, yet strict, upbringing he received.

“I had a good childhood,” he said. “They provided what we needed. I didn’t get retro Jordan shoes until I got a job of my own. It was ‘No, sir, and Yes, ma’am.’ And in school you were expected to do your best. Mediocrity was not tolerated.

“Being competitive came naturally. I have an identical twin brother, Charles. When you have someone who looks like you, talks like you, you can lose your identity. But competitiveness can sometimes be counterproductive. I only want to compete with myself.

“He was my first best friend. He was someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, someone to give me a kick in the butt. He pushed me to always want to be better. He inspires me to want to do better and be better.

“Growing up was all about big family get-togethers, going to my grandma’s, spending time at the Boys and Girls Club. Those are the things that helped mold and shape me. But I’m still growing. I will always be growing.”

The discipline and commitment he learned at an early age have served him well.

Tims graduated from Waterloo East High School in 2008, earned a degree from Wartburg College in Waverly in 2012, and got his master’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls in 2018.

He now teaches U.S. history and African-American history at East High School, where he also serves as the head wrestling coach.

Tims, 31, and his wife, Katie, have a daughter, Everleigh, 4, and a son, Leighton, 1.

Tims sees his teaching career as a calling.

“I knew my junior year of high school it was something inside me. I believe it was God placing it in my heart. I’m interested in making a positive impact.

“You see kids fall through the cracks that could have been helped. I want to stand in the gap and help them make positive choices in their lives.”

Tims shows the same commitment to community service.

He sits on the board of the Waterloo Writing Project, a nonprofit organization that helps students develop literacy skills.

“We help them find their voice, become authors in a safe place. We also work on public speaking. Students can earn scholarships to help pay college expenses, like an apartment or transportation.

“I’ve seen middle-school students go from having no confidence to speaking in front of hundreds of people – and doing it competently.”

Tims also serves on the board of directors for Tri-County Headstart. He is a member of Antioch Baptist Church, where he volunteers with the youth ministry, and coaches for Iowa USA Wrestling.

Somehow, Tims is able to find time for what is important to him.

“At times it can be overwhelming,” he said. “I try to prioritize. I try not to bring work home, and I try to make sure I spend time with my family, my kids.

“I really am blessed with my wife. She knows my passion. She knows my vision. She knows this isn’t just collecting a check and going through the motions. She’s my partner. She’s like another coach. She’s quick to redirect my focus.”

Tims credits a lot of people for supporting him, including East teachers Matt Tracy (advanced English) and Krista Platte (math).

“They went above and beyond to build relationships with students, not just with me. I hear their former students who well into their adult lives still talk about the impact they made.

“It’s more than that they believed in me. They made me believe in myself.

“My late pastor, Michael Coleman, helped people in a different way. At the funeral of a relative, the way he spoke put people at peace. It was still a time of grieving, but we could still smile. I’ve always wanted to be that person for other people, to lift people up.

“My late coach, Willie Gadson, as much as a knucklehead as I was, he never gave up on me. He pushed me harder. He didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

“My college coach, Jim Miller, he took work ethic and belief in myself to the next level.

“And Dr. Wilfred Mickey Johnson impacted me as a youth and continues to today. He pushed me intellectually more than anyone – to the point I didn’t like him as a young man, but grew to respect and admire him.

“And I am blessed to have great assistant coaches, all of who could be a head coach anywhere else,” he said. “And we have great parents that step up and help with fundraising, or whatever else needs to be done.”

When he does find some spare time, Tims likes to read, listen to music, go fishing or work out.

Tims’ advice to young people is simple.

“Find your purpose. That is one of the most empowering and freeing things. You are never too young to get started trying to learn who you are and what you are meant to do.

“Birth – death. That dash is your chance to make a difference, to make an impact. Find what you are passionate about. I will never deny a student’s dream. I will ask ‘What are you doing to get there?’

“Our kids are facing it, with the pandemic, the struggles within their communities. I tell them not to let the outside distractions deter them from what the outside life has for them.

“It’s why I teach,” he said. “Young people truly are the future. They will inherit this world. Leave it in better condition than when it is left to you. The world can be a much better place.”

“One of my goals – and I will stay in education as long as God places me here – at some point is to go into schools and various organizations to motivate and build up morale. I’m in the business of people. I invest in people.

“Right now, my emphasis is on young people, but no matter who I come in contact with, hopefully I can make their day a little bit better. I want to lift people up. ... When I get out of bed each morning, I ask ‘How can I make an impact in people’s lives today?’”