From Lacrosse Fields to Bomb Detection: Mr. Leon Balances Two Worlds

by Oscar Pinto

At Christopher Columbus High School, familiar faces are not uncommon. Many teachers come back from college to teach and guide students to become a better version of themselves. Although Mr. Leon, a graduate from the class of 2009, is something special.

Mr. Leon connects with the kids in many different ways. He is not only a substitute teacher, but he is also a lacrosse coach, and for those who may not know, he is an explosive detection canine handler.

Back at Columbus

Mr. Leon is a permanent substitute at Columbus, and he loves it just as much as the kids love him. He gets inspiration from the kids who salute him every step of the way, to the point that students want him to substitute for their class.

“They say, ‘Hey, what’s up, Mr. Leon? How’s it going, Mr. Leon? When are you going to substitute our class again, Mr. Leon?’ So that’s really inspiring to me. I really like connecting with the kids.”

Columbus has only a couple of little details that have changed, but even though they are small details, he lived through those things throughout his journeys in Columbus.

“It feels the same, but a lot has changed. We were able to use lockers. But then again, you had to run between classes getting books and stuff, so you don’t see that anymore. But man, even the food’s the same at Columbus.”

Not only do the students enjoy his return to Columbus, but the staff also believes his return is amazing and inspiring, to give back to the school that gave him a lot when he was part of it.

“I think it’s amazing to watch somebody like Mr. Leon come back to Columbus and give back to the school that gave him so much when he was growing up,” said Mrs. Insua, Columbus Dean of Faculty. 

At Columbus, he also took over the role as not only a substitute teacher but as an assistant lacrosse coach. He is helping to develop the program and take it to the next level every day. Not only does he improve the program, he connects players and instills habits that make them not only better players but better young men.

“I think he does a really good job keeping his energy very calm. And what that allows him to do is really connect with the players on a different level. It reinforces some of the habits that he’s really trying to work with our guys on,” said Lacrosse Coach Steven Hernandez.

While many look at substitutes as easy and an easy class, Mr. Leon has been in those shoes before.

“There’s an old saying, ‘Been there, done that.’ So when you guys try to pull little tricks on the substitute and things like that, I already know where it’s going. I’ve been there. I’ve done that. It’s great to guide them and try to help them avoid mistakes that I made when I was in school.”

Beyond the Classroom

What many of his students and athletes do not know is that he is also an explosive detection canine handler, which means he teaches canines how to detect explosives at the Port of Miamit.

Mr. Leon has a big responsibility that relies not only on the safety of the people but the safety of the nation.

“I got my dog the first time I went out with the job, and they told me, ‘Hey, just make sure no bombs get through.’ It’s a very light sentence, but it’s a very heavy burden.”

When teaching and training these K9s, it’s not an easy task. It is like training any animal, it relies on consistent reinforcement and it’s what helps them truly grasp what you’re trying to teach.

He says, “When training animals, it’s that reinforcement of habits that allows them to really pick up what you’re trying to teach. And at the end of the day, when you translate that to the lacrosse field, it’s about reinforcement, consistency, and hammering the points. And I think Peter is one of the best at doing that.”

Whether he’s mentoring students, building better athletes, or ensuring safety through his work with K9s, Mr. Leon approaches every challenge with the same mindset: discipline, consistency, and care. His story embodies the values that make Columbus what it is today.