After 32 years, art teacher Ms. Amador retires from CJHS

By Baylie Riffle

Staff Writer

Updated 4/29/24

As students and staff come to the end of this school year, everyone must say goodbye to one of CJHS’ beloved teachers, Mrs. Mary Amador.

Mrs. Amador has been an art teacher for 32 years and has taught many different levels. Her first job was at CJHS, and she has been here ever since.

She and her husband, Mr. Scott Spradling, have been married for 28 years. Her husband is the director of music at the high school, and he is also retiring. They have two children named Alejandro and Sophia. They also have three cats dubbed Goblin, Oreo, and Jelly. They also have a dog named Olive.

One of her colleagues and close friends, Mrs. Tracy Klopfenstein said, “Well, I would say that one of the greatest gifts I received while working here at the junior high was my friendship with Mrs. Amador. We’ve known each other for 30 years. We’ve grown up together, raised our kids together, and have had so much fun. I’ve seen her become this incredible teacher and learned so much from her.”

Mrs. Amador attended the Herron School of Art at Indiana University for five years, and she received her Bachelor in Art Education degree and a Master of Art degree.

Some accomplishments that she has received are having art in the Midwest museum, getting the award of most influential teacher from a high school student, and having won the Ann Hamilton Award eight times. Most recently, Mrs. Amador received an award from CJHS and the MAW Foundation..

She gives her students a healthy and happy learning atmosphere. She is known for having a smile on her face when beginning class each day. She also is energetic, enthusiastic, and is always ready to start class right away.

“She is a kind-hearted person, and she helps students even when they are struggling,” said Ella Carlisle.

This year, Mrs. Amador helped out with Make-A-Wish, an organization that raises money for children with life-threatening illnesses. She designed T-shirts, created (sweet) props, and helped with many fundraising activities.. At the end of this year's Make-A-Wish closing ceremony, she was recognized with an award from the MAW Foundation for all of her contributions over the years.

Some advice that she would give to future students is “Don’t give up and be open.” Mrs. Amador has been a role model for so many students over the years.

Mrs. Klopfenstein retires after 34 years of sharing her passion for reading and writing

By Isabella Garcia Romero

Staff Writer

Updated 5/15/24

Mrs. Tracy Klopfenstein is retiring at the end of this school year after 34 years as a 7th grade language arts teacher.

Mrs. Klopfenstein attended Goshen College and Indiana University, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s in education. Mrs. Klopfenstein has always taught here ever since she came to Concord straight out of college. She knew she wanted to become a teacher because she loved her school and wanted students to have a good experience with it too; additionally, it allowed her to be creative and somewhat her own boss.

During her school years, Mrs. Klopfenstein had many fond and fun memories and really good friendships. She had many great bonds with teachers, especially with her chemistry and physics teacher because he had a great sense of humor. In considering what to teach, Mrs. K realized that she was better at language arts than science. An interesting thing in her junior high years was that she didn’t care for her high-ability teacher, so Mrs. K. dropped out of the class and took first aid instead.

Mrs. Klopfenstein enjoys teaching 7th graders because she thinks that they are fun and creative. However, every job has a challenging part that is not that happy or enjoyable— it's dealing with things that happen outside of the classroom. For students it is challenging for them to manage peer stuff–popularity, gossip.

For new teachers, Mrs. Klopfenstein recommends setting firm expectations, being friendly but also having high expectations at the same time. Over the years, technology has changed a lot in education, yet the act of engaging students and creating excitement is the same.

According to Mrs. K, she has attended numerous conferences, classes, and PD’s; all of which have advanced her training. In these years she has received the “Most Influential Teacher" award twice. In addition, her basketball team won numerous conference championships through the years.

With her experience, Mrs. Klopfenstein makes her class enjoyable with her sense of humor and desire for fun that influences the environment in her room. Maya Angelou said it best: “People will forget what you said and did, but they won’t forget how you made them feel.” This is Mrs. Klopfenstein’s favorite quote that she tries to incorporate and apply every day in her classroom.

“She is amazing! Her creativity, her ability to think beyond the typical strategy, to really bring literature to life have been incredible to witness. She is a master teacher!” said Mrs. Stacy Fann.

In her earlier years, Mrs. Klopfenstein coached the 7th grade girls varsity basketball team for six years and won the tournament three out of six years. Also, she directed the drama team for seven years; she mostly enjoyed doing musicals with the students.

Mrs. Klopfenstein and her husband own Chief Ice Cream; they have two daughters that graduated from Concord. Mrs. K enjoys running, and she and her husband enjoy traveling together. She has already gone to Italy, Austria, Germany, France, England, Greece, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Japan, and Belize, to name some. She has big plans to travel more after retiring.

Mrs. Klopfenstein’s career at Concord has been a long one, and the friendships that she has made along the way with students and staff is what she will miss the most.

Mr. Overmyer touches the hearts of many over his 30-year career

By Benjermin Rininger

Staff Writer

Updated 5/23/24

Mr. Overmyer is retiring after 30 years of teaching wellness and coaching sports at Concord Junior High.

During his entire teaching career, Mr. Overmyer has coached football at both the Jr. High and High School for 22 years. He has coached baseball, freshman through varsity for 15 years. He also coached JV basketball at the Jr. High for 5 years and wrestling at the Jr. High for 5 years.

Mr. Overmyer became a teacher because he loved school and had many teachers and coaches who influenced him in a positive way. His most memorable moments as a teacher were all the relationships with the students he has made over the years. His favorite memories were events like Make-A-Wish and field trips to Cedar Point.

Mr. Overmyer thinks that it is important to grow as many student relationships as you can as a teacher. He stated that the “maturity level of the students here is high enough that you can still have fun with them.” Mr. Overmyer credits his positive upbringing, the people in his life, and his church community for his ability to make connections with kids. He stated that education has become more data driven than it has been in years past and that the hardest part of his job is making sure lessons reach the students.

Camren Maggert said, “He always wants us to be our very best and try our hardest.”

Mr. Overmyer went to Manchester College from 1988-1993 where he earned his bachelor's degree in science and physical health. He earned his master's degree in education from Olivet Nazarene University. During his undergraduate years, he was awarded the MVP in baseball for three years and all-conference winner.

Looking back at his junior high years, Mr. Overmyer said that it was was a challenging time filled with excitement, fun, and uncertainty. His favorite subjects in school were PE and math; his least favorite was English.

Mrs. Brunswick said,“Mr. Overmyer has been such a pleasure to work with. He strives to make class fun and that shows in his interactions with students; he will be greatly missed.”

Mr. Overmyer’s wife taught for 42 years at Concord High School. He and his wife will be celebrating their 30th anniversary this August. His son went to Saginaw Valley State and is studying to be an occupational therapist. Mr. Overmyer is most proud of the fact that he has been able to be a good husband, father to a terrific son, and serve the Concord Community as God led him to do.

His hobbies are playing pickleball where he is a member of the Michigan Pickleball Club. He has traveled to Florida, Canada, South Carolina, Ohio, and Illinois. His favorite music genres are country music, rap, rock, and pop with ACDC, Guns and Roses, Michael Jackson, and Madonna being his favorite artists.

Mrs. Ogle begins new chapter in life following her retirement

By Yesi Chavez

Staff Writer

At the end of the 23-24 school year, Mrs. Linda Ogle will be retiring from her career of teaching after 19 years.

Mrs. Ogle works as a life skills and special education teacher. She earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Ball State University and a master’s degree in intense interventions from IUSB.

Mrs. Ogle has worked at Concord for 6 out of the 19 years she's been teaching. Before teaching at Concord, she taught in Elkhart Community Schools for 13 years.

Mrs. Ogle likes what she does and also likes spending time with her students. For Mrs. Ogle, teaching is a very important job and it always will be, but she says that you won’t always be able to do the things you think you can. She says that her most memorable moments happened during Make-A-Wish time, and that this has always been a good way for her students to get involved.

Mrs. Liponoga, a co-worker and close friend of Mrs. Ogle said, “We’ve been working together for 15 years and I like how organized she is. She is very patient and is always willing to lend a hand, and I think that's a very nice detail about her. I think that we also learn well with each other, we blend well. We even have a group of friends and every so often we get together.”

One of the ways that Mrs. Ogle tries to connect with junior high students is by going back and remembering when she was in school. She tries to remember to have grace. While being a junior high student, Mrs. Ogle found it challenging figuring out her passions and interests since everyone wants to fit in, but she thinks that it’s important to just be you.

The advice she would give to any incoming teachers would be to set boundaries; she thinks that since teaching is so demanding, it's important to live as a teacher and as a person.

Mrs. Ogle's husband, Mr. Dan Ogle, taught language arts at Concord for 38 years. They have two daughters, Lindsay and Natalie. Lindsay is a doctor in Kansas, and Natalie is a clinical director for children with autism.

"There is so much to love about Linda Ogle. I am fortunate to work with Linda and have her as a close friend. Linda is very compassionate and caring toward her students and friends. She has a great sense of humor and a wonderful laid back personality. She has a way of making others feel special, especially her students. She is an advocate for her students and is always providing them with opportunities to learn and have fun. She has worked hard for her students for many years and I am so happy she gets to retire and enjoy more time with her husband, Dan, and her two daughters. Congratulations Linda!" said Mrs. Lisa Wright, 7th grade counselor.

When Mrs. Ogle was in school, she liked rock and roll, Tom Petty, the Eagles, and Bob Seger. The class she liked the most was biology and the class she liked the least was math.

Some of Mrs. Ogle’s hobbies are cooking, reading, and traveling. So far she has gone to Colorado, Florida, some other U.S states, Mexico, and Italy. Mrs. Ogle would like to do more traveling and visit other countries.

One of Mrs. Ogle’s favorite quotes is "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make” by Paul McCartney.

Mrs. Lucchese celebrates 35 years helping students achieve success

By Jackie Memije

Staff Writer

Updated 4/24/2024

After 35 years teaching, seventh grade language arts teacher Mrs. Mary Lucchese is saying goodbye to CJHS.

Mrs. Lucchese knew instantly that she was going to be a teacher during her sixth grade year at Riverview Elementary School. She was called to the gymnasium to assist the teacher with her younger peers and knew what she wanted to do in the future.

During her junior high years, 80’s rock was her favorite genre of music with the Rolling Stones catching her eye. One of the hardest challenges she faced at this time was fitting in with others. In junior high, Mrs. Lucchese worked in a nearby kitchen down the road washing dishes to fulfill her wants.

At Butler University in Indianapolis, Mrs. Lucchese earned her bachelors in science and education degree and an endorsement in reading; she then later added a secondary in English license to her degree.

Over the past twenty years, she has coached elementary-age children and Concord junior high students in swimming

She is also a CASA, a person who helps judges make decisions for a child's future and represents them in court.

A great struggle for Mrs. Lucchese has been motivating students and getting them to want to work. However, she creates a healthy learning environment which boosts moods and helps students work more and more every day.

“She’s the best ELA teacher we have here. She helps with whatever you need in or out of the classroom. It doesn’t matter if it is personal or something in her class. She helps with anything she can,” said former student Haleigh Streetman.

A fond memory for her was when she was teaching fourth grade and they sent letters out to the whole nation. They got responses from people like the president, the senator, and popular companies. This created a friendship chain that stretched around the school.

“There are very few that are as kind and gentle as Mrs. Lucchese. She’s the kind of person that not only makes her students happy but the adults around her too,” said social studies teacher, Mr. Luke Saleh.

Mrs. Lucchese has been married to her husband Pat for 29 years, and they have two children. Her oldest daughter, Gabriela, is a lieutenant in the Navy. Her youngest son is still in college. They often enjoy visiting family in Italy every few years.

Mrs. Lucchese’s favorite quote is, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry,” from Padre Pio, an Italian saint.

Mrs. Huffer 's passion for reading inspires students to learn

By Haleigh Streetman

Staff Writer

After fourteen years of teaching eighth grade high ability and regular language arts, Mrs.Huffer will be retiring from CJHS.

Being a teacher was her second career. She started in the RV industry with marketing, advertising, and sales. She was inspired to become a teacher because she volunteered at her son's school since he struggled. She became fond of being able to work with children and read books.

She attended college at IUSB and then earned a bachelor's degree in education.The readings in college fascinated her. Literature was something she could learn from over and over again. She completed her four years of college while being a mother of three sons and her youngest being first grade at the time. She has always taught in the Concord district; she began as a librarian at Concord East Side.

The first year CJHS opened was her first year teaching at CJHS. Upon her arrival, she realized she would be working with fellow art teacher Mrs.Amador, whom she had a locker next to in high school. She will miss the relationships she formed with staff members who taught her many things and gained her respect.

Librarian teacher Mrs.Isenbarger would walk with her twice a week around the school and sometimes outside to enjoy the weather.

“She sought me out as a friend and I felt very honored,” said Mrs.Isenbarger.

The most gratifying part of being a teacher for her is seeing students being helpful, going out of their way to show kindness, and when they encourage each other. Her advice to incoming teachers is to keep expectations at a high level so students can be pushed to better themselves. Over the years, Mrs. Huffer stated that she and Mrs.Kelly would help each other on tough days.

High ability student Yailiyn Garcia said, “She’s a really great teacher who is friendly, fair, and understanding. She makes it easy to communicate and always prioritizes learning.”

Her hobbies are hiking, kayaking, and hopefully pickleball. She had many adventurous hikes with her husband in Utah.

Mrs. Nofziger retires after 33 years teaching FACS

By Ziann Ware

Staff Writer

Updated 5/1/24

After thirty-three years of teaching, Mrs. Nofziger will be retiring from Concord Junior High at the end of this year.

Mrs. Nofziger’s mother was a teacher and as a younger child she remembered her coming home from work talking about children who lacked basic home skills like cooking. When Mrs. Nofziger was in college, she was interested in FACS and thought she could help kids by teaching them home skills which was the beginning of her career.

Mrs. Nofziger earned her bachelor’s degree from Goshen College. She aimed for a bachelor's degree to become a teacher and did enough classes to keep her degree. Her bachelor’s degree was in Home Economics Education with a Family Life minor. She was certified to teach Family Consumer Science K-12.

She began teaching at a small school in Sarasota, Florida with twelve students in a small house with one sink and two ovens used just for classes. Mrs. Nofziger also taught typing on electric typewriters.

The most challenging part of her job over the years, she says, is dealing with behavior issues and motivating students to do their best. Although there are challenges that come with being a teacher, she still enjoys their energy and being around other people. She will miss teaching students how to roll a thread knot off of their fingers and seeing students enthusiasm to go bake more at home.

As she taught, one of her favorite memories was teaching students how to use a sewing machine. She had a student who had trouble learning and when he accomplished sewing, he shouted, “I did it!” He beamed, and it made her feel happy as she continued teaching him.

Dariana Miller said, “I like the way she teaches us how to cook and follow recipes.”

Mrs. Nofziger will miss the daily routine and seeing her colleagues each day.

Mrs. Lucchese said, ”I really enjoy her humor! Believe it or not, she is a very funny person. Her story about the sponge in the microwave had me in stitches.”

Mrs. Nofziger is also involved in her neighborhood and in church with worship services and enjoys making others feel welcomed. In her neighborhood, there was an arrangement called ,”Get To Know Each Other”, which took place once a year or whenever someone new moved in. People would invite one another to dinner but ultimately, to make new neighbors feel received.

Mrs. Kelly inspires students to accomplish great things

By Lily McEachern

Staff Writer

Updated 5/9/21

As students approached the end of the school year, they said their goodbyes to a beloved and talented teacher, Mrs. Peg Kelly, who is retiring after 29 years of teaching.

Mrs. Kelly has worked as a health and physical education teacher as well as an athletic director. Before her years serving as a teacher, Mrs. Kelly was a student at Concord and graduated from CHS.

A fun fact about her is that she has nine siblings who also graduated from Concord. She has many certifications and degrees including the following: Professional Environmental Scientist, Masters of Curriculum Development, Bachelors from Purdue University, Health and Safety, PE and Health, Athletic Training, and Pre-Physical Therapy.

Mrs. Kelly was born in Great Lakes, Illinois, and she moved to Elkhart, Indiana at age two. She and her husband Patrick have been married for 40 years and have three children.

One of her students, Bo Brunner said, “Mrs. Kelly was an excellent teacher that pushed us to exceed our standards; this allowed us to work harder in each one of our classes.”

Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have two boys and one girl and decided to go with a “B” theme: Bryan, Brett, and Brooke. Bryan is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and is married to his wife Audrey. They have two children, Asher and Evelyn. Brett graduated with a Master of Business Administration and is married to Brittney. They have two dogs, Dozer and Roxy. Finally, Brooke has a bachelor’s degree in social work. She is married to Ben, and they have two children, Cameron and Amelia. All of Mrs.Kelly’s kids are Concord graduates, and she and her husband are exceptionally proud of them.

One of her favorite memories of being a Concord athlete was her induction into the Elkhart County Hall of Fame and Concord Athletic Hall of Fame. One of her favorite memories of being a teacher at Concord is doing Make-A-Wish which she thought was very special and hosting the smart program for 16 years.

Lastly, her favorite memory of being a Concord parent was watching the tennis team win sectionals and her son Brett playing a key role. She said upon retirement she is... “Going FULL BOARD with the "F" Theme: family, friends, faith, fan, fabrication, fur-friends, farming, fishing, facelift and FREEDOM! FUN, FUN, FUN.”

When asked what advice or thoughts she would give to incoming generations of Concord staff, she said, “Pretend that each student is your own and make it personal.”

Mrs. Stouder spends teaching career inspiring others to dream

Updated 5/22/20

By Annie Yoder

Staff Writer

Mrs. Cheryl Stouder, 8th-grade language arts teacher, is retiring after 32 years at CJHS.

Mrs. Stouder has served as a volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation for over 24 years. She led CJHS in raising $430,244 to grant over 50 wishes in Indiana. She has also received the Chris Greicius Award for her service to Kids for Wish Kids in 2018 and the Luke Butler Award in 2019.

“Mrs. Stouder is the most humble and selfless individual I know. She is a staunch advocate for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and also serves as a Wish granter herself,” said Mrs. Katie Shelton, science teacher.

According to Mrs. Shelton, early in Mrs. Stouder’s career, she shared her vision with then principal, Kevin Caird, for what is now known as the Make-A-Wish fundraiser. In 1995, the staff of CJHS decided to expand their teaching of philanthropy. Shelton stated that CJHS was determined to teach the “REAL meaning of charity, which is working for no recognition, prizes, or gifts while giving unselfishly of yourself. And so, IT began.”

Mrs. Stouder said that these "wish moments" were her most memorable times at the Junior High. She will never forget the opening and closing ceremonies and the pride she felt over how many lives were affected for the good.

Mrs. Stouder has always known that she wanted to be a teacher. When she was little, she played school with her brother and her friends, but she wouldn’t play if she couldn’t be the teacher. She likes teaching junior high kids because she feels the level is challenging.

“This level is so challenging. I like that challenge. Junior high students can range from very mature and adultlike to very immature. It is a challenge to figure out how to reach such a diverse group of people,” said Mrs. Stouder.

Mrs. Stouder has never taught anywhere else besides Concord Junior High. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Ball State University and her master’s from Indiana University. What she will miss most about her job are the staff and students. This year especially will be the group she didn’t get enough time with.

“What I liked most about Mrs. Stouder’s class was that she gave us independent time to let us learn on our own instead of her teaching the whole time,” said Baylee Franklin.

Mrs. Stouder’s husband, Kent, is a retired firefighter. Some of her hobbies include spending time at the lake, reading, and doing puzzles. She is the daughter of an immigrant. Her father came to the states from Scotland at the age of 21. He has taught her to work hard and never give up. She believes that the persistence he taught her transferred to her job. In her years in 8th grade, she felt relationships and fitting in with the right group was difficult and stressful.

According to Mrs. Stouder, the most challenging part of her job is keeping up with technology. Her advice to incoming teachers is that the job requires a lot of flexibility and to be willing to change those things that aren’t working, even if you personally love them.

Mr. DeVreese finishes strong after 44 years in education

Updated 5/25/20

By Ava Brewton

Staff Writer

Counselor Jim DeVreese, will be retiring at the end of the 2019-20 school year from Concord Junior High School after 44 years of service in education.

Before starting his counseling career, Mr. DeVreese was a biology teacher at Marian High School. Mr. DeVreese enjoyed listening and helping his biology students with their personal lives which led him to become a counselor.

Mr. DeVreese enjoys counseling junior high students because of how unpredictable they are which makes each day different. During his career, his most memorable moment was when he participated in the student flash mob with students and staff for former principal Kevin Caird’s last day at CJHS.

“One thing I will especially miss about Mr. DeVreese is his sincere desire to help students who are struggling. He is a very good listener, and students trust him. On a lighter note, I will miss our Chicago Bears' conversations. Go Bears,” said Mr. Daniel Ogle, seventh-grade language arts teacher.

Mr. DeVreese thinks counseling has changed over the years due to the internet and different apps. Kids face more challenges such as body shaming and cyberbullying. Mr. DeVreese advises incoming counselors to always look for the positive in a student, be patient, be a good listener, and always try to be the student’s advocate.

Mr. DeVreese thinks counselors are needed more than ever, and kids are in need of their help.

The most challenging part of Mr. DeVreese’s job is trying to help kids look to the future, and though it may be hard at this age, to look forward in life. After retiring, Mr. DeVreese will especially miss the interaction with teachers and students.

In addition to counseling, Mr. DeVreese was the CJHS cross country coach for 25 years, the girls’ track coach for 5-6 years, and was in charge of the ski club for 20 years. During these times, his fondest memories were found in the championships for cross country and girls’ track.

Mr. DeVreese started his college education at Holy Cross, where he was a classmate and good friend of Rudy Ruettiger, the main character of the film “Rudy” . He then got his undergraduate degree in biology, his degree for counseling, and his masters for education all at IUSB. To become a better counselor, Mr. DeVreese attended workshops and training for school counselors. He has attended a Hatch training with all the counselors in Elkhart County to better serve the students. Throughout his counseling career, Mr. DeVreese has been recognized at Concord for years of service.

Mr. DeVreese has been married to wife Deb for 39 years and they have three children and two grandchildren. The youngest of his sons is living in China and is teaching English there. Mr. DeVreese finds interest in fitness and enjoys biking. He and his wife are actively involved in their church, Saint Monica.

Growing up, Mr. DeVreese enjoyed school which led him to wanting to become a teacher then later a counselor. He found growing up and maturing the most challenging in his junior high years. All in all, Mr. DeVreese would describe his junior high year overall as very positive and fun.

In school, his favorite type of music was rock and roll. More specifically, his favorite band was the Rolling Stones and he liked their song “Jumping Jack Flash.” Mr. DeVreese has traveled to Greece to see where his mother was born. He also travels to California to see his oldest son and has been to Colorado multiple times.

His favorite quote is, “Anything worth doing should be done to the best of your ability.”

Mr. Boston spends 39 years teaching young artists to achieve

Updated 5/26/20

By Yasmine Adame

Editor

After 39 years of experience teaching, Mr. Boston, a 7th and 8th-grade art teacher, is retiring at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.

Mr. Boston attended the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne and Indiana University in South Bend in which he received a bachelor of arts degree and a masters in science degree. Practicing art is what he always liked to do. Drawing and painting are Mr. Boston’s favorite types of art because he finds the history of painting very fulfilling.

Mr. Boston started his teaching career in art at Eastside and Oxbow and taught for 11 years. His purpose for becoming an art teacher was because he likes working with younger people and creating a “Visual Dialogue.” According to Mr. Boston, the part that he enjoyed most during his teaching career with the junior high students was watching the “ah hah” moments from students when they had accomplished something that they didn’t think was possible.

According to Mr. Boston, the accomplishment that he is most proud of is how well his art students have done in the Scholastic Art Awards. The thing that he will miss the most about his job is the relationships with students and teachers. Mr. Boston encourages the incoming teachers to teach with enthusiasm.

According to Ms. Mary Amador, listening to Mr. Boston’s Monday morning stories about “celebrities” he met or saw at the Notre Dame stadium, having daily conversations with Mr. Boston, and his dedication to promoting their program are all things that she will miss dearly after Mr. Boston retires. Working with him for 28 years and having many interactions have become a big part of her daily routine.

“One of the most memorable moments came about when Mr. Boston and I collaborated on an art exhibit at Goshen College. The exhibit was the “coming together” of both of our artistic worlds. As educators and working artists we were able to showcase together our own personal artwork and show that we both shared the same passion for creating and teaching art,” said Ms. Amador.

Mr. Boston has a wife, Becky, who is also retiring from teaching at Goshen High School. Along with his wife, Becky, Mr. Boston has two daughters and two granddaughters.

Apart from being an art teacher, Mr. Boston does other things in his free time. According to Mr. Boston, he is on a music team at the Community Church of Waterford and plays golf. There are also charities that Mr. Boston is also involved in such as KidsAlive, Destiny Rescue, Awake and Alive, and Make A Wish.

Mr. Boston's favorite subject when he was a junior high student at a Lutheran private school was art. He expounded his junior high years as “fish or cut bait.” His favorite song in junior high was “Roundabout” by the group called Yes.

Students experience Ms. Taylor's love for math over her 31-year career

Updated 5/29/20

By Pablo Avelino

Staff Writer

After 31 years of teaching, Ms. Taylor has made the decision to retire at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

Growing up in Williston, North Dakota, Ms. Taylor first developed an interest in teaching while passing out papers in her elementary classroom. Her parents were the ones that truly influenced her decision to become a teacher.

Ms. Taylor said, “My parents were both excellent teachers in our church--dad teaching adults and mom teaching 4-year-olds. Watching them teach and listening to them talk about preparing lessons, they seemed to have so much fun. It was only natural that I followed that path.”

Ms. Taylor earned her bachelor’s degree from Cedarville College in Ohio and graduated with a master’s degree from IUSB. She couldn’t decide between teaching elementary education, music, and math, so she has degrees in all three. She taught fifth grade at Elkhart Christian Academy for three years; furthermore, she taught music and piano theory from home. Ms. Taylor has taught mathematics at CJHS for 28 years.

Ava Brewton said, “Ms. Taylor is always making sure we understand what we are doing. If we don’t understand, she takes the time to review so that we can fully understand it. She is a really good person to talk to and a good listener, I’ll miss her.”

Ms. Taylor has two daughters, named Sera and Hannah. They both live and work in Chicago.

Ms. Taylor has been in several rock bands over the years. She played electric bass and keyboards, and she was also a backup vocalist. One of the things she’s looking forward to in retirement is having more time to make more music with people.

A fond memory that Ms. Taylor remembers is about Kendall Wrage. Kendall was one of her honors algebra students, and Ms. Taylor was her piano accompanist at ISSMA for several years. Kendall moved and graduated from Wawasee High School, and when she graduated, she named Ms. Taylor as her “Educator of Academic Influence.”

Mr. Callan said, “I used to go to her room to share teaching ideas, or just to share a laugh. Plus, I enjoyed seeing how many different ways she could incorporate polka dots into her decorations. She knew when to be serious, and when to be fun. Her enthusiasm spread to her students and fellow teachers.”

Ms. Taylor also loves flowers. She said, “There are going to be a lot more of them now that I’ll have more time.”

Mr. Bowen motivates students to achieve

Updated 5/22/20

By Sage Borkholder

Staff Writer

After 10 years of teaching, Mr. Bowen has made the decision to retire at the end of the 2020 school year and move on to the next stage of his life.

Mr. Bowen has taught personal finance, fitness, college and careers and even took the job as an athletic director at Concord. He decided to become a teacher after coaching because he thought that it would be an interesting change to teach young people. Mr. Bowen said he’ll miss interactions with the students as he says they don’t show much hesitation when it comes to speaking their mind.

During his years in school, Mr. Bowen earned degrees from Purdue, Indiana University South Bend, and Goshen College including a Bachelors of Industrial Management, Masters in Business Management, and his teacher’s certification. He believes that life itself is one of the best teachers for everyone. Mr. Bowen and his family moved into the Concord District in 1984. Since then, he has been involved in sports and enjoys them as a hobby.

Student Emma Kellogg said, “Mr. Bowen had a great class. He did well at teaching students the opportunities to prepare for college and their future.”

Mr. Bowen was involved in many sporting events at the junior high and the high school. He helped with the boys track team, coached girls track and soccer, and worked at many sporting events at the high school and the junior high. Outside of Concord, he was involved in a set-up committee at his church and volunteered once a week at Roosevelt Elementary.

Mr. Bowen says that the most challenging part of his job is disciplining students who are disrespectful to teachers or other students. He believes that young people today have less respect for adults and often will “challenge” them to see how far they can get. He does say that teaching is worth it, generally, and that incoming teachers just need to stick with it.

Fellow teacher Mrs.Brunswick said, “Mr. Bowen is someone you can count on for whatever needs to be done. He is a hard worker and has a great sense of humor. He will be missed in many ways.”

When he was in school as a teen, Mr. Bowen said that trying to fit in socially at the junior high was a challenge for him that got easier as he got older. Thankfully, he said he had great teachers, coaches, and friends who helped him through the years. Mr. Bowen has always loved math, but hated art, and heavily got involved in sports that continues to hold as a hobby today.

Mr. Bowen considers his wife, two children, and three grandchildren as his most prized possessions. His wife works in the Education Center for Concord and both of his children, which he coached in sports, both graduated from Concord High School. He enjoys playing Chutes and Ladders with his grandchildren.

Mr. Bowen's favorite quote is “Tough people do tough things,” as he believes that parents today are not raising young people to be “tough” in situations of adversity. He has traveled all over the U.S, Canada, Mexico, Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Holland. Mr. Bowen said his favorite band was a 1970’s rock and roll band called the Doobie Brothers and his favorite song was "China Grove."

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