Thomas Staley would like to thank his former Latin I and II teacher, Mr. Gavin, for being a positive influence on his high school career.

Staley enjoyed his time in Mr. Gavin’s Latin class because the class was exciting and covered a range of topics. “In that class, we’d read mythology and learn Latin,” Staley explains. Latin is no longer offered at WMMHS, but it was a popular feature of the language program for many years. Staley continues, “It was really interesting. Especially for someone like me, who has a lot of interest in history, so it was cool to learn about ancient history.” Students like Staley appreciated that Mr. Gavin took the time to teach them the context of the language they were learning which allowed them to immerse themselves in the language more fully.

Staley also appreciated Mr. Gavin’s personality, and the effect it had on the class. Staley describes his former teacher, simply as “ a really good guy” and that “he was really interesting, and he wasn’t mean, but he would tell you when you were slacking.” Mr. Gavin pushed his students to be better while maintaining a positive atmosphere. In addition to his friendly personality, Mr. Gavin maintained a jovial learning environment for his students. Staley says, “He’s funny. He’s really witty and smart with his words.”

On a more personal level, Staley would like to thank Mr. Gavin for his generosity and the letter of recommendation he wrote for him. Staley details, “he wrote one of my letters of recommendation for college.” As for why, he explains that he and Mr. Gavin“had a good relationship in the class and he also had all of my siblings.” Most importantly, Staley says that “I just felt connected to him”

On behalf of Thomas Staley, the Patriot thanks Mr. Gavin for making his Latin class enjoyable and interesting, as well as for his humor and kindness towards his students.

As the school year comes to a close, it is becoming time to say goodbye to the Class of 2019. The Patriot is asking seniors to thank their favorite teachers for making their high school career more enjoyable. If you’re a senior looking to thank one of your teachers, email [email protected].