Jack Ludtke
Class of 2013
Whether you know it or not, April 11th was Staff Appreciation Day. We celebrate this day because NCHS staff members really do work tirelessly for you. From faculty to front office, custodians to cafeteria workers, they dedicate hours of their lives every week to making sure that you are taught, fed, and cleaned up after. They are the ones who keep this school running. Having gone to the New Canaan High School for almost four years, I really believe that this day is an important way to recognize the people that do so much for us.
One thing that I have found to be an example of the dedication is the work that is accomplished by the cafeteria staff. Every day for the last four years, I have gone to the same sandwich station, stood in line, gotten the same sandwich (a toasted pepperoni, salami, mustard, olive oil, lettuce sandwich on a Kaiser roll), and sat down in the lounge to enjoy it. Through that time, I definitely noticed how Paul and Bill, and now Mario, took the time to talk to me and eventually came to remember what kind of sandwich I would get. Even the cashier, Eddilen, always made sure to say hi and exchange a few words. I always enjoy these little conversations, and often find them a great way to let a little bit of the stress in my life go. Even though these talks are a small part of my day, they really represent how hard the employees of this school work to make my, and all students lives, more comfortable.
Also, one only has to look at the teachers and administrators to see their laudable qualities. Having been in over thirty classes at this school, I have probably had a significant percentage of the teachers here at some point. To this end, I feel as though most, if not all, of the teachers in this school are effective and reachable, and even those that seem unreasonable have your best interest in mind. At the end of the day, there are so many places in the world that don’t have the luxury of good instruction, and even though you might complain sometimes about the amount of work you are getting (I should know; I’ve complained as much as anyone), this luxury is one of the things that contributes to the high quality of New Canaan High School. Appreciating this work with a day is pretty much the least we can do to repay this effort and hard work.
The bottom line is that New Canaan High School is a heck of a lot better than most other schools in the country and the world. A staff of upwards of one hundred and fifty people work hard to provide you with that experience and to make sure that you are getting the education you need to be a functioning adult. They might not make an immediate impact on your life, and might do something you will never see, but that doesn’t mean their work is insignificant. In fact, it’s incredibly important. Because even though these things may be small, they ultimately add up to an experience that culminates into the way your time here at NCHS. Every class you take, every clean lunch table you sit at, and yes, every sandwich that you eat, is tailor-made to make your time a little bit better. Now isn’t that worth some appreciation?
