Southeast High School Class Of ‘58 Gives Back To Teachers For Years

Teaching is a demanding and underappreciated job, but one group of alumni at Southeast High School is making sure their teachers get the recognition they deserve. 

For the last few years, the Southeast class of 1958 has wrote a $500 check to a teacher at the school. 

“I just want them to know that they are appreciated, and that we love them, and we support them,” said Bob Weaver with the 1958 Southeast High School Alumni Association. 

Several names are presented each year by principal Mylissa Hall to the group who then select one teacher to receive the award.  

“Our teachers have worked very, very hard, so I tried to pick someone from each quadrant of our school, but those that go above and beyond that’s what we call the Spartan way,” said Mylissa Hall, principal at Southeast High School.  

This year instead of just one teacher, the alumni group decided to award the money to four teachers and surprised principal Hall with $500 as well.  

“He got me. I don’t like recognition for me, I want to recognize my people,” said Hall. 

Special education English teacher Jackee Brown was one of this year’s recipients.  

“It was awesome. It was a shock, but it was awesome,” said Brown.  

The one request of the alumni group is that the recipients use the money on themselves and not the classroom or students. 

“Honestly, I was thinking I could buy laundry detergent for the girls basketball team, we need more pods, we’re almost out,” said Brown.  

“Seeing our kids have like new shoes, or ties for graduation, cause that’s what we do, and some didn’t have that,” said Hall.  

“We love Southeast, and we want to keep them excited about teaching these kids because that is so important,” said Weaver.  

Mr. Weaver says this is probably the final year for the recognition, because the group is getting up in age. They still plan to have their monthly breakfast gathering. Their hope is another alumni class will pick up where they have left off.