Holliston Teachers Honored in Worcester

Both Mr. Chris Murphy and Mrs. Kathryn Buckley were honored in the annual Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science (Mass Academy) Teacher Appreciation Day on Wednesday, November 16. The State Legislature of Massachusetts founded Mass Academy in 1992 as a public school to serve academically advanced youth in grades eleven and twelve in math, science, and technology. Mass Academy is located on the campus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Holliston residents and Mass Academy students Jenna Pralat and Kent Perlmutter, as well as all other Mass Academy juniors, were given the opportunity to invite a former teacher who had a significant influence on their love of learning to a ceremony to show teacher appreciation. Jenna Pralat chose Mr. Murphy and Kent Perlmutter chose Mrs. Buckley.
Mr. Murphy teaches in the English Department at Holliston High School, and Mrs. Buckley teaches 6th grade science at Robert Adams Middle School. The event gave the teachers and students the occasion to catch up on their lives and to reminisce. Mrs. Buckley indicated that she was happy to see Kent after all this time and remembered the fun times that their class had: “We had so much fun that it was ridiculous!”, Mrs. Buckley said.
At the ceremony, teachers from schools across Massachusetts were honored for their contributions to student success. When Jenna Pralat shared how Mr. Murphy helped her become a better writer, she explained, “I had learned how I need to prepare for essays, and discovered the environment in which I write best. He helped reinforce the idea that working hard counts for something and that people will notice my efforts. Despite my recurring stress with every essay and test, Mr. Murphy helped me grow my confidence that my interpretations were well founded and developed.”
During the event, each student welcomed their honored guest to the Academy, gave them a tour of the school, introduced them to their classmates and current teachers, and shared lunch. The students relished their opportunity to say thank you to their teachers for preparing them for success. Mr. Murphy remarked, “One student after the other gave the most genuine display of gratitude to those who have helped or inspired or challenged them that I have ever seen. There was plenty of laughter, a few tears, and a great sense of pride for both the students and the guests being recognized.” After lunch, guests were greeted by Mass Academy Director Michael Barney and Dr. Art Heinricher.
“Mass Academy appreciates the efforts of all teachers across the Commonwealth and established this annual event as a way to celebrate the work of those teachers who have had an impact on our students’ lives,” said Direcotr Barney, Dean of Undergraduate Studies at WPI. “We appreciate the fact that our students’ success is a collaborative effort. We recognize that their sending school districts and the exemplary instruction that they have received in their prior years should be celebrated.”
After the greetings, the juniors brought their honored guests to the podium, one by one, to describe how each teacher was an inspiration. Kent Perlmutter described to Mrs. Buckley how she was influential in his desire to study science: “I looked forward to going to your class every day to learn about different aspects of science whether it was by exploring the vernal pool, looking at cells through microscopes, or doing dissections. Your class projects were both challenging and fun! Your unique way of teaching science made science compelling and fascinating and has inspired me to pursue science as my future career.”
Both teachers were thrilled with being honored. Mr. Murphy mentioned that he “was very surprised and moved to be honored by Jenna, especially as an English teacher invited to a math and science academy event.” He went on to explain, “I think we all hope to help our students in academic ways, and sometimes with personal or social concerns, but what they seem to remember most is when we listen. Jenna is one of the students who has taught me that. Her choosing to honor me that day reminded me that we often don’t realize the long-lasting positive impact we can have through the simplest, most subtle gestures we offer in the course of a day. Perhaps more importantly, Jenna inspired me to call and say thank you to one of my high school teachers; and oddly enough, he was a math and science teacher.”
Mrs. Buckley summed it up perfectly: “It was very moving to hear the stories the students told about their teachers, and I was incredibly honored by Kent’s speech. I was telling my husband that it was the closest a teacher could get to the Academy Awards, but better because of the kids.”