Yes I know this needs to be updated, give me some time ok? At least all of the links are current.

January 2000 update: I'm now working full-time at Hinsdale Middle School, primarily in their computer labs as a technology aide.

John D. Buell

I was born on 29 October 1975 at 1:07 AM in Mercy Hospital, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. I lived in Edmond, Oklahoma until early 1978, when we moved to Newton, Kansas. It was there in November that my brother Justin was born. That December (or it might have been Jan. 1979, I'd have to check) we moved to Topeka, Kansas. We lived there until August of 1982, when we moved one last time to Naperville, Illinois.
From August 1982 until July 1992, I attended public schools in Naperville Community Unit School District 203. I skipped the 1st grade right away, and completed the 2nd and third grades at Elmwood Elementary. On April 18, 1984, while I was on Spring Break from the third grade, I was struck and run over by a car while trying to cross Jefferson Street in downtown Naperville. The Tibia bone in my left leg was completely crushed, while my Fibula was broken in three places.
I was at Edward Hospital until May 19, 1984, when I was finally released. I had to have a cast on my leg (a full leg cast until August, and then a knee high cast after that) until December 1984. I returned to classes in January 1985, although due to redistricting, I began attending Maplebrook Elementary School. I must note here that during April and May, and from August until December I was tutored at home by Mrs. Gail Springborn. So I completed the 4th grade back at school, though I was forbidden for the next year (actually I think it was longer) to participate in PE or even recess. For that second semester of fourth grade I depended on a walker while taking physical therapy at Edward Hospital to recover my use of my left leg.
I then attended Lincoln Junior High School for the 6th-8th grades, which were unremarkable. In fact, and this is not meant against the teachers or administrators (in fact, I've even done campaign work for one former Lincoln teacher), I consider these 3 of the worst years in my life.
Then for 9th-11th grade I was at Naperville Central High School, focusing primarily on German, math and science. In my sophomore year I first applied for the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship, which I won during my Junior year. Thus I very quickly completed my graduation requirements, and left on 15 July 1992 to spend a year in Germany.
Life there was wonderful. I first spent a month at an orientation and language course in Rostock, in the northeast, and then lived for the remaining 11 months with the Oellrichs in Burscheid (a little town near Leverkusen - in the part of the country known as Nordrhein-Westfalen). While I was there, I studied in the 11th grade (the first of 3 years in the "Oberstufe"), at the Marienschule Opladen, and as is required of all students in the 11th grade there, I spent two weeks on a "Berufspraktikum," which in my case was two weeks in a chemical laboratory at Bayer, in Leverkusen. I left on 12 July 1993, had a re-entry program at Georgetown University, and went home again.
In August 1993, I went away to Purdue, hoping to get into engineering. While I was there I was very active with the Wesley Foundation, which is the United Methodist student ministry. I volunteered for the C.O.M. and the Guru Java Coffeehouse at Wesley. But after three semesters at Purdue I decided I really didn't like the engineering program very much and returned home. I'm now taking classes at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. I've also been working, holding a job first with Famous Footwear from February-October of 1995, and from Nov. 1995 to Feb. 1996, I worked for Radio Shack.
This summer, I've been working for a local White Hen Pantry, and taking two final elective classes at COD. Effective with the Fall 1996 semester, I will be again enrolled in classes at Purdue.
To go back to the index about me, click here.