With the 2022-2023 school year coming to an end, it’s important to take a moment to look back on some of the highlights of our year. For graduating seniors, this is a time to reflect on their high school years and what helped them along the way to push them to that finish line. Many students received much of this help from their teachers who made their classes enjoyable by serving as an inspiration for their future careers.

Many Wakefield teachers inspire their students through their high school journeys and guide them into adulthood. Senior Kelsie Ferrante shares how she felt like she connected with one of her teachers: Stephen Holcomb.

“[Mr. Holcomb] was just one of those teachers that everybody loved. He was so easy to talk to and he was a good teacher and I learned [so much] from him.” Ferrante said. “Instead of doing everything by the book, he tried to make it fun.”

Teachers also have the power to inspire students to take many different career paths in life and find the one that may suit them the best. Brianna Brown notes that Deja Cheek inspired her to look at a career path differently than she had before and encouraged her to take up some related classes in college. 

“[Ms. Cheek] used to do clinical psychology, like being a therapist, and I thought it was cool and I may want to do that,” Brown said. 

Teachers can be a positive force of encouragement in students’ lives in order to help them chase their dreams. Senior Briggs Pratt discusses how his favorite teachers have encouraged him and others to chase what they want in life.

“[Mr. Calabria and Ms. Dembisky] both encouraged everyone to pursue their own interests into their adult life,” Pratt said.

All of these aspects make up a great teacher that students of all grades can rely on and go to when they are in need. For these seniors, these amazing teachers were the reason they made it through the stresses of high school and onto that graduation stage. Going into college and their adult lives, these students will take the lessons and memories they have gained with their teachers and ease them into their lives as they grow and mature.

One of these students, Jalen Yancy, recounts how he was supported by one of his teachers and basketball coach, Garrett Stevens.

“[Stevens] is a good coach and a good teacher as well. A lot of the time when we need pep talks, those will always stick with me,” Yancy said.