Little did I realize when I started teaching at West in 1974 right out of college that I would fall in love with the profession and the school.

Initially, I thought of teaching as a stepping stone until I moved to a big city to start a career in business. But teaching was what I was meant to do. The years have gone by in the blink of an eye but the memories will last forever.

What I loved most about teaching was the curiosity and talent of the students. That is never more evident than now with students being under so much pressure to succeed.

In the 70's there was little anxiety about getting into college or knowing what you wanted to do as a career. Today, not only is it tougher to get into many universities, but there is also the added stress to declare a major early and to think globally.

But students today are so talented not only in their ability to use technology as an integral part of their lives, but many also speak several languages, have music or art ability, or are greatly involved in community service.

As a business and marketing teacher, my greatest thrill was being involved with the West DECA chapter. This allowed me to relate classroom experiences in a practical manner through competition, community service, and leadership activities. This also meant I worked with some of the best students in the school.

These were individuals who had plans for their future and wanted to make a difference in the world. Many of them have gone on to business careers, started their own business, or serve in non-profit organizations. It is always special to run into one of my past students and learn of their success. They often express their gratitude for the education they received from the Madison schools.

As I leave the teaching profession I know there will be continued stress for teachers to do more with less. Post-secondary education and careers will require students to have more knowledge and skills than ever before while the multiplicity and ability level in the classroom will continue to be a challenge with our ever changing population.

But in spite of this, if I had it to do all over, I'd still pick teaching business and marketing at West High School as my lifelong career.