Throughout the four years of high school that students experience, the staff makes powerful impacts through their teaching or coaching. Students aren’t just impacted by the staff’s teaching but the bonds formed and lessons learned that students carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Senior Camden Harvey plans to attend Florida State University where he wants to build relationships with potential clients and advocate for a business that he is passionate about.

“At WFHS, it was Mrs. Chen who made the biggest impact. She built relationships with her students and was always present and willing to help them. She wasn’t just getting through the day and doing the bare minimum like most teachers,” Harvey said. 

It is a big change to move from a different country to an American school, and senior Ethan Jacovou thought Mr. Canady was the most helpful.

“I would probably say Mr. C is my favorite teacher because he was the first teacher I had that I liked and didn’t mind coming to class. American teachers are very different from English teachers, and I didn’t really like a lot of American teachers I had, but Mr. C was one of the only teachers that would ever actually talk to me,” Jacovou said.

Some teachers have given their students advice to help them navigate their way throughout high school and be successful. 

“I’d say Mr. Lee, because he had this speech one day. He was angry, and he said, ‘It’s high school, ladies and gentlemen. Y’all gonna either sink or swim,’ and I think I realized then that I need to start swimming and stop playing around,” Dominick Nutter said. 

Some kids who come to school have teachers who make them comfortable and make them feel at home. 

“Mrs. Pardo. She always made the second period a family, and every Tuesday we would have mental check-ins with our Cougar time, and I feel like that was something no other teacher did. She was always there if we needed a hug, a shoulder to cry on, or talk to,” Alli Boksleitner said.

Senior Hunter Sill has found a coach who he can look up to and lean on for help.

“Coach Lesh for tennis because he was a good mentor,” Sill said.

Jake Homschek feels the best teachers are the ones who help out and are easy to get along with. 

“Mr.Gibbons, my counselor, was always reliable and always consistent. Also, Mrs. Martin because she was the most understanding teacher and easy going,” Homschek said. 

Teachers who connect with the students on a higher level and help them to really understand the lessons have a huge impact on the students.

 “Mrs. Jones had a huge impact on my life. She made me want to continue to learn Spanish because she saw potential in me and continually encouraged me to do good,” Emily Atkins said.