Maybe I last saw him 15-17 years ago, but this is still a very sad event for me. This is perhaps because I believe that high school for me was such an important experience and it played a big role in forming the person I am today. There are 4 teachers/administrators in high school I owe a lot to for never giving up on me even as I grew restless (and maybe occasionally rebellious) in high school:
- Dr. Coulter - who gave coaching and guidance to a tenth grader who was often tempted to settle for the ordinary
- Mr Gordon - my English teacher and a great listener
- Mr. Seto - who helped fan the internationalist flame in me through a little after-school programme called Model United Nations which literally would change my live in ways which would require a separate blog entry; and
- Mr Walker - the international studies coordinator who sparked the flame of me getting a world view by helping me spend a summer with a host family in France when I was 17.
In today's public school environment, there are too few teachers and administrators like Mr Walker and the ones I experienced at Snowden. People like Mr Walker chose to see the best in us, the potential in us, and help us to believe in ourselves as much as they believe in us. I write out a sense of sadness but also of heart-felt appreciation. I consider myself fortunate and blessed to have known him. And his passing is a reminder that the best way to honor his memory is to look for the best people and help them to believe in themselves and that enabling them to do something successfully is an important measure of your success as a person.
Alors, Monsieur Walker, je ne vais pas dire au revoir. Je vais dire "until we meet again."
With the kindest and warmest of regards //Rodney