Seniors organize thank-you proj

RIGHT: Senior Jordan Blucher holds up thank-you letters for teachers. Although there wasn’t as much time as Blucher would have hoped for this project, she and others got it done just in time for teachers to get their notes before winter break. “I would just want to thank them so much for everything,” Blucher said. (Photo by Grace Hensley)

SENIORS SAY THANK YOU

Seniors write thank-you letters to show appreciation to teachers

MIKA KIPNIS

news staff

As the first semester of the school year came to an end, a group of seniors took it upon themselves to make sure staff members at Ladue knew that they were appreciated under the unprecedented circumstances of online school during the first semester. Seniors Jordan

Blucher, Katie Holland and Maggie

Lawton took charge of the project that would eventually bring smiles to many teachers’ faces.

“I think a lot people wanted to say thank you to some of their teachers because I know that a lot of our teachers have had a big impact on us,” Blucher said. “We just wanted to thank them for putting up with everything and continuing to be amazing and teaching even when we were online or now with the added restrictions.”

The seniors decided on writing thank-you letters in order to show their appreciation to staff members after brainstorming a few ideas in the senior class GroupMe. During the week before finals, all of the seniors 10 NEWS | FEATURES had the opportunity to write letters to “One of the last days before finals, any of their teachers, past or present, we dropped the notes off right before and then drop them off at the houses school started,” Lawton said. “We only of Blucher, Holland or Lawton. had 30 minutes to do it and because

“We had bins set up at our houses, we’re not supposed to technically be which were kind of spread out around in the schools, we kind of had to do it the district so that it was easier for fast and just turn them in.” a lot of people to drop off [their Once the letters were placed into letters],” Blucher said. “I think many people wrote about three to five, so, in general, we had a lot and each person “ We wanted them to feel like we did appreciate all all of the teacher’s mailboxes, the teachers received an email from Becky Jenkins, the attendance secretary, to come and on staff got one.” With the help that they were doing. check their mailboxes. Many teachers were of Adam Stirrat, MAGGIE LAWTON | senior pleasantly surprised the instructional when they saw that technology coordinator, who sent their mailboxes were full of thankout a mass email to all of the seniors, you letters — from both their current Blucher, Holland and Lawton were and past students — that expressed able to get the word out about their how much the students appreciation project to all of the senior class with- everything the teachers had done. out the staff finding out. The seniors “It was surprising and I thought felt that it was important to keep it it was really sweet,” English teacher a secret, which is why they refrained Jennifer Hartigan said. “Some were from involving too many adminis- handmade cards with coloring on trators and generally took initiative them and others were computer genthemselves in order to have a more erated and I liked seeing everybody’s meaningful reveal and surprise for the personality coming through on how staff and teachers. they chose to say thank you.” p SPREAD DESIGN BY MIKA KIPNIS | CAROLINE TYRRELL