Whenever people ask me who my most influential teacher was, I automatically respond, “Mrs. Ryan, my first grade teacher. Thanks to her, I want to teach first grade.” When I started thinking about this assignment, however, I decided that I wanted to write about someone else. The first person who came to mind was in fact a teacher at my high school, though he was never my teacher. Let me start at the beginning…
The first time I saw JB Wolcott was in late August of my junior year. I was on the cross country team and we were having preseason practices. JB was stretching on the track and I simply thought that he was a new upperclassman who decided to join the team. It wasn’t until a few days later that I learned that JB was actually our new assistant coach! A recent Princeton graduate, JB was a student in Harvard’s masters of education program. He had been sent to Arlington High School to do his student teaching and, in usual JB fashion, got involved with the school right away. He had run track and cross country in high school, so he immediately went to the coach and asked if the team needed any help. He was eagerly accepted. JB’s early involvement is just one of the many good examples that he has set for me in the few years that I have known him.
JB was a constant presence at cross country and track throughout my junior year – he always had an encouraging word to say at practice and could be always be counted on to cheer wildly during races. In the spring, JB finished his student teaching, but he was immediately hired to stay on as a full-time English teacher at my high school.
Although I can hardly remember not being friends with him, I didn’t really get to know JB until my senior year. I was a co-captain that year, so I spent more time with the coaches. Also, when we were broken up into ability groups for practices, JB often ran with me and two of my teammates. I found him very easy to talk to, which is important when you are running eight miles! The whole team loved to listen to JB’s stories from high school and college and he was always willing to listen to us and offer advice about anything that was bothering us.
JB taught me a lot about running. He always had useful advice to give me before each of my races. He planned strategies with me and timed my laps so that I would know if I was close to running the time that I wanted. JB had perfect faith in my ability to accomplish whatever I set my mind to. He helped me to think up goals and work to achieve them.
JB also taught me lessons about caring for and helping out other people. These lessons he taught by example. Whenever something was bothering me, I went to JB’s classroom. It was a place where I felt safe and knew that I could talk freely. He encouraged me to come by any time I had a problem, even if he had a class. One time when I was really upset he gave his students an assignment so that he could talk with me in the hall while they worked. I spent countless afternoons and evenings talking with JB, either in his room or while running. He was always completely open and honest with me and I felt comfortable enough with him to respond in the same way.
I worried a lot about going to college and one of my main fears was not having JB around to talk with when something was upsetting me. It has worked out pretty well so far though – we keep in touch mainly through email and visits, and I know that I can simply call him whenever I need to talk with him. JB has taught me so much and is also one of my closest friends. I know that we will keep in touch for many years to come.
-- Eileen Hassett, American University