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Wednesday, 13 May 2009 |
 Wapakoneta Middle School Principal Ray Payne cooks on a grill as part of a special luncheon Tuesday for staff members honoring retiring teachers Kay Wellington and Penny Cummins. Sunshine blessed the day as members could eat outside and share stories with the two teachers. By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
After 35 years of standing at the helm of the blackboard, two of Wapakoneta’s finest educators are bringing their career and their passion to a close.
Wapakoneta Middle School teachers Kay Wellington and Penny Cummings are in the midst of their final days of teaching at the school. When the month ends and students rush off to enjoy three months of freedom, the two said they plan to head off for a life of relaxation.
These final school days put a cap on what both said has been a lifelong passion.
The pair realized at a young age teaching was their calling.
“I was always the one who the teachers asked to go help someone in the classroom,” Wellington said. “I just always enjoyed school, reading and learning something new every day.”
Wellington followed her dream up through her college years. After graduating from Wapakoneta High School in 1965, she received her Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University.
She taught in Lima and Findlay for a year, before having the first of her three children. She took seven years off before coming back to Wapakoneta.
Looking back on her years, Wellington said she is going to miss her students and fellow staff members, but after 35 years, she knew the time to step away was now.
“You’re life becomes so busy that it’s difficult to get everything in,” Wellington said. “You’re helping everyone and it just seems like there isn’t enough hours in the day.”
Traveling is the top priority for Wellington after she retires, heading to Disneyland first with her family before traveling to Boston and the Grand Canyon.
Cummings said her future was determined even before she started school herself.
“My mom told me when I was little that I rounded up the kids in the neighborhood and set up my little school on the front porch,” Cummings said. “From as far back as I can remember, I always said I was going to be a school teacher.”
Cummings graduated from Spencerville High School in 1970, before heading to The Ohio State University, from where she graduated in 1974.
She came back to teach at Spencerville for more than a year before a friend told her about an opening at Wapakoneta. Since then, she has taught every subject under the sun, but has spent most of her career teaching math.
Much like Wellington, Cummings said she will always miss her students, and each one of their unique personalities.
“I think of a lot of the moments I had with the kids and what they said and what they did, and I wish I would have written a book,” Cummings said. “Even though I taught the same thing every day, the kids always made things different.”
Cummings also has a trip scheduled to travel to the West Coast where she will stay with members of her husband’s family this fall.
She said she is looking forward to the trip, but admitted her sights were set on indulging on another luxury.
“Reading,” Cummings said with a laugh. “I never have a chance to ready because I’m always grading math papers.”
After listening to the pair reminisce about their careers, Wapakoneta Middle School Assistant Principal Vicki Bidwell said the school is losing “the cream of the crop.”
“These two were born to be teachers, and I don’t feel that way about every teacher,” Bidwell said. “I think the world of both of them. They’re great friends and colleagues.”
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 May 2009 )
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