Seniors Enjoy Reunion with Fourth Grade Teacher
They will never forget their fourth grade teacher. A group of Huntington High School seniors, who are just days away from graduating, participated in an eight year reunion with their fourth grade teacher, Jim Lauter.
The veteran teacher invited members of the group to reunite with him before the teenagers all head off in different directions for the next stage of their lives. “It was an opportunity to gather together once more, to share stories and view a video they created back in the day,” Mr. Lauter said.
The third graders in Mr. Lauter’s current class at Flower Hill Primary School were witnesses to a kind of metamorphosis that was occurring before their very eyes.
“Before the senior visit the third graders had seen the old video of the then nine and ten year olds,” Mr. Lauter explained. “Then on that Wednesday afternoon, those same nine and ten year olds, now seventeen and eighteen year olds, young men and women, casually walked through the classroom door to a room filled with dropped jaws. To say the third graders were mesmerized would be an understatement.”
Mr. Lauter taught the now seniors when they were fourth graders at Huntington Intermediate School, the predecessor to Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School. Members of the group have never forgotten their former teacher.
During the reunion at Flower Hill each of the seniors revealed their future plans beyond high school and offered a bit of friendly advice to their younger counterparts. “Work hard and you’ll be a success,” senior Daniel Mollitor said. The other teenagers on hand quickly agreed.
In addition to Mr. Mollitor, the reunion participants included Gleisy Jaramillo, Justin Meyer, Lexi Mills, Sofia Suarez, Julio Pacas, Diego Rodriguez, Brooke Baade, Kelsey Jamison, Rita Moreno, Julio Colon, John Arceri and Jack Malone.
A state wrestling champion, Mr. Arceri brought along shirts commemorating his achievement and presented them to Mr. Lauter and one of the third graders who had written a letter to the teenager.
“As you read the names of those who attended the June 8 reunion at Flower Hill, you’ll undoubtedly recall reading about many of them, as they’ve been featured on the district’s website,” said Mr. Lauter proudly.
The proud teacher beamed as his former students entered his current classroom and interacted with his third grade class and co-teacher Danielle Nolan.
“I want to thank Chairperson of Humanities Joe Leavy for helping to make this possible,” Mr. Lauter said. “He made sure all the seniors got the letters we sent to them. As for my old students, they’ve had outstanding careers and have become wonderful role models. It was an honor to have them come and speak to the third graders. They’re everything I hoped they would become and more. In other words: mission accomplished!”