Impact Beyond the Classroom: A Night of Gratitude

By Samantha DePriest

Beyond lesson plans, classroom management, and grading papers, teachers shape hearts, build character, and leave imprints that last a lifetime. This past Friday night, under the bright lights of our packed stadium, that truth came to life in a moving way as our senior football players took time before kickoff to honor their teachers who made a lasting impact on their lives. In a night usually defined by touchdowns and team spirit, it was the intentional and heartfelt recognition of these teachers that stole the spotlight reminding us all that teaching is not just a profession, it is a calling.

Mr. Chris Paschal, High School Bible Teacher

Recognized by Jake Anderson

“I would like to thank Mr. Chris Paschal for being such a great teacher.” Jake shared that Mr. Paschal is really good at building connections with his students and that’s how they got so close. Jake’s favorite memory in Mr. Paschal’s class was when they would do the Bible walk and talks. Jake credits Mr. Paschal for helping to build his spiritual relationship and lead his walk with God.

Mr. Ron Edwards, former High School Bible Teacher

Recognized by Sawyer Boone

Sawyer shared, “Mr. Ron Edwards is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of teacher. He is special because he takes the time to invest in the lives of each student in and out of school.” Sawyer goes on to share, “Mr. Edwards regularly met with a group of my guy friends to help us grow in our walk with the Lord.” Sawyer is appreciative of all of the time that Mr. Edwards has invested in him and his peers..

Mrs. Christy Faircloth, High School Science Teacher

Recognized by Greg Brezina

Greg shared that his all-time favorite teacher is Mrs. Christy Faircloth. He shared, “What makes Mrs. Faircloth so special is her deep love for teaching and her willingness to make meaningful connections with her students. Mrs. Faircloth inspires confidence and encourages a deep love for education. I have never found more joy in school than I have in Mrs. Faircloth’s class.” Greg’s favorite memories include dissecting the frog and shooting fireworks.” Greg is thankful for Mrs. Faircloth for everything she has done for him and for TCS. He goes on to share “I thank her for inspiring me to love and value my education. I also want to thank her for helping shape me into the man I am today.”

Mrs. Cassie Richardson, High School Skills Teacher, was recognized by DJ Dumas.

DJ shared that Mrs. Richardson always gave him fun snacks and always loved to have fun. She knows how to make learning fun. He shared, “I’m really thankful to her for teaching me important life lessons.”

Mrs. Mille Smith, Middle School Math Teacher, was recognized by Reese Earl.

Reese shared that he had a very special teacher in 8th grade, Mrs. Millie Smith. Reese went on to share, “Mrs. Smith took on a very big job when she taught my 8th grade math class. We were special in more ways than one, but she always had patience for us and made learning fun. My favorite memory in that class was when she took us to Chick-fil-A because we were learning about real world math.” Reese shared that , “Mrs. Smith is probably going to cry when I tell her this, but I want to thank her for teaching me and for always going above and beyond for all of her students.”

Ms. Beth Buckley, High School Science Teacher, recognized by Peyton Echols.

He shared that Ms. Beth Buckley is the all-time best teacher. He says that “She has an amazing personality and unreal level of patience. His favorite memory is interrupting Ms. Buckley when she was coaching throwing so she could watch him try to throw. I am thankful for Ms. Buckley for being so patient with all of her students and taking time to teach them.”

Mr. Jay French, High School Bible Teacher, recognized by Preston Funk.

Preston says that Mr. French cares about his students and wants what’s best for them. His favorite memory is when Mr. French took his class outside to play football. Preston says, “I would like to thank Mr. French for helping me strengthen my relationship with Christ.”

Mr. Taylor Bouma. former High School Science Teacher, recognized by Bakari Hamilton.

Bakari said his all-time favorite teacher is Mr. Bouma. He says, “Mr. Bouma was very personable and made me enjoy class everyday. There are too many special memories to list, but one that sticks out was that one time during final exams when Mr. Bouma brought a bubble blower and we took pictures.” Bakari is grateful for Mr. Bouma for continuing to be so supportive through the years.

Mr. Ryan Tipton, HS Bible Teacher, recognized by Trevor McDowell.

Trevor would like to thank Mr. Ryan Tipton for being such a great teacher. Trevor says that, “Mr. Tipton helped me understand the theological side of the Bible and made it more understandable.” His favorite memory was when the class overloaded on sugar with cookies and tea in class. Trevor would like to thank Mr. Tipton “for always being so positive and helping me understand that nothing is too big for God.”

Mr. Christy Stephenson, Upper Elementary English Teacher, recognized by Chase Randolph.

Chase shared, “Mrs. Stephenson would always take time to help me better understand the lesson. I could tell she really cared about me. She would always teach in a fun way so that I could focus. Mrs. Stephenson was the best teacher and always put up with me.”

Mrs. Tracey Long, Upper Elementary Math Teacher, recognized by Michael Rosser.

Michael shared, “Mrs. Long was so kind. Her classroom was always warm and welcoming. She was always so relaxed and made class so fun. My favorite memory was having fun with my friends in the class.”

Mr. Dylan Higgins, Middle School Bible Teacher, recognized by Lee Sibille.

Lee shared that “Mr. Higgins was a great teacher because he is such a friendly person and can have a friendly conversation. Those conversations always make your day. A special memory in his class were all of the class discussions.”

Mr. Nathan Blevins, former High School Spanish Teacher, recognized by Austin Taylor.

Austin shared, “I would like to thank Mr. Nathan Blevins for being such a great teacher. Austin says that Mr. Blevins made freshman year fun and unique. Second period class was fun every day because of the way we were challenged. Austin says, “My favorite memory was when we were playing a game, but could only speak Spanish. It was hilarious how bad we were.” Austin would like to thank Mr. Blevins for sparking an interest for learning Spanish and staying positive even when it was hard.

Mrs. Jennifer Duncan, former 1st Grade Teacher, recognized by Ben Wesson.

Ben shared, “My first grade teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Duncan, was my all-time favorite teacher.” He shares, “Mrs. Duncan was very sweet and her class was really enjoyable. My favorite memory when it was my turn to jump on the classroom trampoline. Mrs. Duncan was so patient and caring and always poured into me.”

Mr. Shiflitt, High School Math Teacher, recognized by Ranauldo Wright.

Renaldo shared, “Mr. Shifflett was the all-time best teacher during 11th grade math. He always made it apparent that he was there for us, not just to give us a grade. During most advisement periods we liked playing Super Smash Brothers. Ranauldo would like to thank Mr. Shiffler for making classes fun and engaging while also helping us get work done.”