In April 2015, WCHS was evacuated because of a bomb threat and students were taken across town to the Civic Center. It was an incredibly real situation. I remember after it was all over, Mrs. Matheney sat my entire class down and told us our teachers would always make sure our wellbeing is the No. 1 priority, and that it would be no exaggeration to say our teachers would take a bullet for us. I believe this not only applies to bullets and bomb threats, but in every facet of a teacher’s life.
Everyone can look back upon their life and think of a certain teacher who had a profound influence. Mine happened to be my freshman English teacher and track coach. She was shorter than most of her students, and had a small voice. This small voice spoke in volumes I can still hear today.
She told me I should start writing, seeing something inside of me imperceptible to myself, and so I did. She told the track team to push themselves harder, beating most of the varsity players much to their embarrassment, and so they did. Most importantly, she told her students to believe in their abilities, and so they did.
Between every teacher and student there’s a certain relationship that’s established. The teacher is to care for this student as if they were their own children and the student is to trust this teacher will lead them in the right direction. Steinbeck had a quote about this, saying that “Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.”
Simply put, teachers can change lives. We students do not say it enough, but we appreciate those teachers who are there for us. We appreciate those who offer to keep classrooms open for tutoring. We are thankful, most of the time, to those who push us on the field or in the classroom. Most importantly, we are grateful for those who are more akin to a friend than a teacher.
Rylan Lorance is a WCHS student who is writing articles for the Standard this school year.