A lasting impression

Next month, Thermopolis will see plenty of alumni from various years when graduation weekend comes around. Still considering myself a bit of a “new guy” in the town — having been here just over a year — the weekend is one of the events I think is really interesting.

I grew up in a town where the summer high school reunion was for one specific year, rather than all those years ending in a specific number, and I was thinking the other night about what my graduating class might have to say to those who received their caps and gowns five to 10 years before or after we did.

While specific stories and experiences would change for sure, one common interest would definitely be the teachers. I’ve only experienced one reunion since graduating in 2000 — the 10-year, which felt just like high school due to the same people hanging out with one another, and avoiding those they did in the hallways. The only difference was we could all now legally drink alcohol, which wasn’t quite as thrilling as when we were doing it with the risk of court charges, or worse, parental punishment looming over us.

But it’s the stories of the teachers that united us. Ask any student what teachers they remember in their school days, and you’re sure to get stories about those who left a positive impact on their lives as well as plenty of “horror” stories about staff who were seen as the ones to avoid, if possible, because they had a stricter hand in the classroom, made students feel singled out and were more than generous with their homework.

This past year saw the resignation of two staff members from my school days — Sheila Schmeits, who taught Math primarily, and Theresa Parker, who I had as both a teacher and a principal. Had you asked me in those days what I thought of these two, you’d likely get plenty of ramblings about how “unfair” they were, the mountains of homework piled on us and punishments that were way too harsh.

Of course, over time I’ve realized things were not as bad as I thought and that they were really trying to be a guiding hand for the more overwhelming world beyond high school.

For those teachers, administrators and other staff working through the school year and summer classes, the experience you provide the students today will be a large part of what they remember and share in the years to come, good or bad. Those impressions will be part of what they share when reunions come around, and what they pass on to the next generation.