Les Cook received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Virginia in 1990, and then continued working in a research laboratory on the Virginia campus for the next seven years as a developmental biology research assistant. As Mr. Cook’s family began to grow, he realized that he had a passion for passing on knowledge to young people, so he entered a post-graduate education program at Mary Baldwin College, where he earned his Collegiate Professional Teaching License in 1996.
In 1996, Mr. Cook began his teaching career at Patrick Henry High School in Hanover County. While at Patrick Henry, he taught Freshman Biology, AP Biology, IB Biology, Anatomy, and Biotechnology. Cook was one of the creators and co-writers of the Biotechnology program in Hanover County. After teaching for sixteen years, Cook earned a Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Virginia, and he then served as an assistant Principal at Patrick Henry High School for the next three years. In the fall of 2015, Mr. Cook was named Specialty Center Coordinator at Hanover High School and Director of the Hanover Regional Governor’s School for Career and Technical Advancement.