By Harper Stephens

Editorials Editor

As this school year comes to an end we say goodbye to a handful of very familiar faces here at South.

Greg Oder has been a football coach and teacher at South since the doors were opened in 1992. He led our varsity football team to a State Championship in the fall. Oder will be leaving a well earned legacy behind.

Oder explains what he will miss about being at south everyday.

“All of my best friends are here. I will definitely miss all of the kids and of course coaching football. It is so bittersweet leaving a place you have been for so long but I will enjoy the opportunity to see my family more and having more free time,” said Oder.

Junior football player Robert Thomas enjoyed having Oder as a coach.

“He was a great coach and he always pushed us to do our best. I will miss him walking around with the horn and blowing it between sections, I will really miss his presence,” Thomas said.

Oder will be missed and is appreciated for the 24 years he has given to South.

Golf coach and Math teacher Ted Linke has been a part of the South family for 15 and a half years.

Linke explains what his plans are for his retirement “I’m looking forward to sleeping in, playing golf, traveling and spending time with my grandchildren,” Linke said.

Retirement isn’t all perfect, of course there are a lot of things at South that Linke will miss.

“I will miss being around the students and I have made so many close bonds with teachers so it will be hard to leave them,” Linke said.

Junior golf player Ethan Wegner appreciates Linke very much.

“He always had words of wisdom and always had a positive attitude. He was a really funny guy and always made practice really fun,” Wegner said.

Ted Linke will be dearly missed here at South.

Business and personal finance teacher Gwynn Gorrell has been a certified teacher for 15 years but was a substitute teacher 13 years prior to that.

After Gorrell retires she plans to travel to at least 48 states via RV.

After spending so much time at South there are a lot of things she will miss.

“I will miss the kids and the relationships I have with them. This is the perfect place for me, I love teaching and I fall in love with every one of my students,” Said Gorrell.

Friend and co-worker Darla Phillips doesn’t know what she will do without Gorrell’s friendship.

“We started teaching here together on the same year and we have worked side by side for 15 years. I will miss her wisdom and her friendship more than anything,” Phillips said.

One of South’s hard working janitors, Tom Nicholson will be retiring after 15 years of helping our school to be a clean environment for learning.

Nicholson will be enjoying his free time and traveling as much as possible.

Nicholson enjoyed being here and will miss many things.

“I will miss talking to all of the kids and working with my co workers and teachers,”Nicholson said.

Sophomore Madison Crosslin always notices Nicholson’s dedication.

“I always see him cleaning the floors in the commons and when they are finished they always look so nice. It has to be really hard cleaning up after nearly 1,500 students everyday.” Crosslin said.

Hopefully our school will continue to stay clean when he leaves, South will dearly miss Tom Nicholson’s Hard work.

FACS teacher Jill Rogers has been at South since the year it opened. While she has been here she has taught other classes like Spanish I, Child Development, Housing and Clothing.

Rogers has spent so much time at South there is a number of things she will miss.

“I will miss the students and getting to know them, I will also miss the teachers, it’s like a family here and it will be very hard to leave them,” Rogers said.

Rogers is ready for a slower paced life and to be able to be more relaxed.

Junior Sam Rivas appreciates Rogers impact on her cooking skills.

“Im going to miss hanging out with her all the time. She is an amazing person and she has helped me so much throughout the years, I can not thank her enough. I will miss her good vibes and how nice she always is,” Rivas said.

Everyone will miss her positive attitude and of course Cookie Friday’s.

All of these members of Blue Springs South’s staff have made a huge impact on our school. All of their hard work and dedication will be missed and South is very thankful for every single one of them.