He got his undergraduate degree in education from the University of Wyoming and his graduate degree from Colorado College. Rick taught elementary and middle school in the Denver area for three years before returning to his home state of Wyoming where he has taught middle school since 1996. Since 2015, he has extended his work to high school students, along with mentor astronomers, in conducting research and presenting at professional venues. His interest in education has evolved over the years to focus less on content and more on how to get students interested in the learning process and motivate them to learn how to learn. He is currently working on a Ph.D. in education from the University of Wyoming.