Ridgeview Teachers' Care

On Tuesday, March 6th, shortly after lunch, a code red was announced. After hearing this announcement, a jolt of fear ran through the students. Not knowing if there was an active shooter on campus or not, we all reacted quickly and, for the most part, calmly. We went to safe locations in the room and barricaded ourselves in. In the darkness and silence, one could not resist the urge to think of the worst. Thinking about all the possible outcomes of an attack and wondering if this was even a drill or not, we all sat on the floor worrying.

While I sat on the floor huddled next to my class mates, I was reassured by the attitude of my teacher. At the time of the code red, I happened to be in Mr. Herndon's room. When the announcement was made, Mr. Herndon was in the middle of a sentence. Everyone stopped and listened. After the announcement was over, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing, got up, and followed the safety procedure. After securing the door, Mr. Herndon grabbed a hammer and trenching shovel he had. He gave one of the young men in the class the hammer as a backup. Mr. Herndon purposefully sat nearest to the door. He positioned himself so the he could defend the students if an attacker came. Everyone stayed calm in my room. I think that a major reason for this is due to Mr. Herndon’s attitude. He was serious, but he did not seem worried. He made the rest of us in the room feel reassured.

Mr. Herndon’s actions demonstrated Ridgeview teachers’ willingness to put the students first. Not only is it the teacher’s duty to act this way for the students, but it is noticeable that our teachers do it because they care about the students. Mr. Herndon did not have to say anything for me to understand he truly cared about us. Just through his actions and attitude, I knew everything would be alright.

While watching Mr. Herndon during the drill, I knew that if this was a real attack he would do anything to ensure the safety of the students. I respect Mr. Herndon and the other Ridgeview teachers who act this way. These situations show me that Ridgeview teachers care about our lives and the future of humanity. Our teachers want us to succeed. They want us to grow and better ourselves. Our teachers are willing to risk themselves in order for our survival.

Every day, Ridgeview teachers arrive demonstrating their willingness to make our generation succeed. Every day, they do best for the students to have a better future. Every day, they do their duty out of care for the students.

It is hard to appreciate what our teachers do for us. After spending thirteen years at Ridgeview, I expect my teachers to protect us, and sometimes I take it for granted. After talking to friends from other schools, I realize that we are special in the sense that we have so many of these caring teachers. The best way to honor our teachers is to be the best we can be, follow their example, and not let their efforts go to waste.