Last week on May 5, the first day of Teacher Appreciation Week, four WHS teachers were recognized with awards during homeroom. The recipients were celebrated for their dedication and positive impact they have on the WHS community.
The Jeffrey Family Above and Beyond Award, given to a teacher who has made a difference in the students’ lives, was presented to Social Studies Teacher Jeffrey Knight. Knight has worked at WHS for 2 years, but has been teaching for 27 years, having previously worked at RIS. Knight explained that the high school has been fun and eye-opening.
For Knight, the best part about being a teacher is the relationships with students and “helping them be as successful as they can.” He explained that the impact of teaching transcends memorizing historical facts by noting, “Not everyone is going to remember ancient Egypt, but if they got something out of it and had a good experience, that’s what it’s about.” For him, the award is a “nice acknowledgement knowing [he] had a positive effect on somebody.”
The Foose Memorial Award for Excellence in Education, which acknowledges an active role model in the WHS community, was presented to Latin Teacher James Rowan. Rowan has been working at WHS for 23 years and stated that “it is a great honor to be recognized for the work you do.”
Because he is the only Latin teacher at WHS, Rowan believes he is able to create especially strong connections. Rowan stated, “I feel like I have an advantage since I have students for four years in a row. I get to build relationships with students over a couple years so that does help in terms of helping them get comfortable with the class and me.”
Rowan’s favorite part about being a teacher is watching students get excited about learning and discovering new things. “I like languages,” he said. “I like ancient things, so seeing students get excited about the same things I like is really awesome.”
The 37th Annual WHS PTSO Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award went to Art Teacher Leah Jarvis. This award commemorates an inspiring and passionate educator. Jarvis has been working at WHS for 37 years, and she explained that what keeps teaching exciting is the constant variety each day brings. “My favorite part about teaching is that every day is a new experience: a new dawn, a new challenge, a new way to help students,” stated Jarvis. For her, the award was unexpected and happened “in a time in her life when she really needed it.” She shared that the recognition brightened her whole attitude and “made [her] feel warm inside.”
The 2026 Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, honoring a teacher who encourages learning both in and beyond the classroom, was awarded to English Teacher Caitlin Cheddar. Reflecting on her 17-year teaching career at WHS, Cheddar said her favorite part about it is the uniqueness of each day and each group of students. “No two days are the same,” Cheddar stated. “No two classes are the same. You can be covering the same content but ultimately every class is its own little environment.”
For Cheddar, the award is meaningful because of the talented staff she works alongside. “There are a lot of fantastic teachers in this building, so I am very honored that I was even nominated in this category.”