For 16 years, Mike Robards had a simple teaching philosophy: make science so engaging that students couldn’t help but get hooked. A retired Air Force instructor pilot who spent his final year of active duty earning a master’s degree in education, Mike brought that same mix of discipline and curiosity to the classrooms of Custer Baker Intermediate School and Franklin Community Middle School in central Indiana.

Where Science Meets a Little Bit of Chaos

Mike’s lessons were anything but predictable. Each winter, he ran a beloved experiment he called “Miss Bad Hair Day,” where students stood on chairs, placed both hands on a Van de Graaff generator and let their hair stand on end, with a class-wide vote and the best results earning a framed photo. He also recreated a grain elevator explosion in the classroom using a Bunsen burner and a controlled puff of flour, filling the room with the faint smell of fresh baking. And in his famous “product test” lab, student teams took on real consumer questions, like whether Double Stuff Oreos were actually double stuffed.

“Science was likely my favorite subject to teach,” Mike says, “because I got to play, doing cool labs and experiments with the kids.” His goal was always to make the content approachable enough that even the most reluctant learners could see they were capable of solving problems on their own.

From the Classroom to the Workshop

Since retiring, Mike has channeled that same energy into the Central Indiana Woodworkers, where he and fellow members produce at least 10,000 toys each year to donate at Christmastime. He also runs a small laser engraving operation, creating custom awards for his former middle school and other schools across the area. His workshop is full of projects for family, too, including desks, bookshelves and changing tables for his grandchildren, and his all-time favorite piece for the donation pile: a small, hand-crafted fish box for young girls.

The Best Part of Retirement

For Mike, the greatest reward of retirement is time. Specifically, time with family. He feeds his twin grandsons breakfast every morning before they catch the school bus, attends his grandchildren’s events and still meets monthly with 20 to 25 former classmates.. He's quick to point out that slowing down was never the plan. “Sitting around is limiting your time on life,” he says.

The Vital Role of the Hoosier Lottery in Teacher Pensions

Mike’s retirement is supported in part by his teacher pension—the “icing on the cake” alongside his Air Force retirement. The Hoosier Lottery’s contributions to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund help ensure that dedicated Indiana educators like Mike have the financial security to enjoy the next chapter of their lives after years of investing so much in their students and communities.

Proud to Champion Hoosier Heroes:

For more than 35 years, the Hoosier Lottery has championed play — and its power to do more — for players, communities and the state of Indiana. Hoosier Lottery distributions have benefited every county throughout Indiana. The Hoosier Lottery has contributed $8.1 billion to good causes, including $30 million to local police and firefighters’ pensions and $30 million to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund annually. To learn more about the Hoosier Lottery, visit hnzsks.com/GivingBack and follow on Facebook, Instagram and X.