“Amy Graham, Health Teacher.”

With thirty years, 9,000 students, and a treasure chest of memories, Mrs Amy Graham has decided to retire. This swept Kearsley High School by storm, many students were shocked that she would be leaving.

Junior Emily Callahan felt proud explaining, “I was a little saddened by it, but she has been here awhile, I’m happy she gets to experience the joys of not having to work.”

Many students felt the same, glad she gets to start a more relaxed chapter in her life. It is a very bittersweet experience knowing someone you love, someone who inspired you throughout your high school career is leaving at the same time as you. Senior, Morgan Judd elaborates on how she was feeling about the retirement, “I was so sad to hear she was retiring because people who haven’t taken health yet won’t have the chance to have her in class.  She had such a big impact on my freshman year because I had her for health and algebra during covid and she was so encouraging and ready to help me whenever I was confused.” 

Even now in her senior year, Judd still feels as though Graham is someone she can go to whenever she’s overwhelmed or in need of someone to talk to. Graham is one of the most reliable teachers you’ll come across here at Kearsley High School. 

Graham was inspired to become a teacher for similar reasons to what she represents in her every day. A middle school teacher allowed Graham to help teach her class while she was still in high school.

 “I don’t know how to describe her, she was just a top-notch teacher,” Graham commented. She wanted to be that for students, but the story of Graham starts somewhere else.

Graham grew up in Columbiaville, in Lapeer County, and attended Lakeville Community Schools. Her parents Barbara and Paul raised her there and continue living in the area today.

This past year her father passed away, and Graham continues to hold him in her heart and push herself every day to be someone he is forever proud of. 

Growing up with two older brothers, Graham had become super competitive. This can be seen in even just spirit days where she’s dressed up more than most of the students at KHS. Her most famous is her cloudy with a chance of rain Halloween costume.

After marrying her loving husband Larry, Graham also had two kids. She has one daughter named Morgan, who lives in Chicago as a packaging engineer. And a son named Matthew, who is graduating from Grand Valley this year. Both of her kids she shares with her loving husband Larry.

A big family woman, she loves spending time with her kids, but she is ready to retire with her husband. When asked how she would be spending her retirement she said, 

 “Next year we will probably load up the fifth wheel and go to Alaska for more than a week, probably three or four months. I love to fish, especially salmon, and Alaska is the place for that.”

In a few months, they will spend a week there, and come home. Alaska is known for its trout and salmon fishing, making it perfect for her retirement. Graham is a big fan of fishing and hunting, they are some of her only goals for retirement. 

“To live my life, to do what I want to do whenever I want to do it. To Fish whenever I want. To hunt whenever I want. To have fun.” Graham joked when asked what her motivation was. 

The life of a teacher is by no means an easy task, and it can be draining for anyone. With restrictions, student baggage, and whatever else can be piled on, teaching takes a toll on people. 

Graham does not regret her teaching; however, many fond memories fill her time here at Kearsley. There was a lot of excitement regarding how prom used to be, “we used to have prom here, you wouldn’t even recognize the gymnasium or the halls. We used to do valet parking and the stories from that.”

Students are Graham’s biggest motivators. 

Graham won a student-nominated award for Teacher of the Year with the Flint Firebirds this past March 16th, 2024. She won in the secondary education bracket, when asked how she felt about this she acknowledged, “I have never received it before, the best part about it is that it is student-driven. A student nominated me. A student, and I believe her mom, nominated me for it. The fact it was student-driven was just really cool.”

The camaraderie between students, and staff, and with her as a person is truly fantastic to her. To this day she is still friends with many of her past students both in her every day life and on Facebook.

Students love Graham, and there is good reason for it. Striving to be the most authentic woman she can be, “I just want people to hear my name and smile.”

This was something she was successful in.

Junior, Taylor Thompson recalled, “I really liked the way that she taught her class. She was very energetic,” adding that her favorite memory was when they had to make an anti-drug song or when Mrs Graham brought in drunk goggles.

Her class was one many students looked forward to going to. People wanted to be around her. Senior, Madalyn Reif elaborated on the atmosphere of Graham’s class, “The safe space she created for everyone in that class was something I looked forward to no matter what.”

Sophomore, Peyton Hinman gave her thoughts on the way Graham teaches, ““She’s freaking awesome and funny. She cares about the kids she teaches almost to a scary extent. She made me feel loved and cherished in that classroom despite what was going on outside of it.”

Senior, Levi Pray told us of a story he fondly remembers, “one time after a long day I was in her class and had just needed a moment, so I got my phone out to make origami and she went to take it, but saw what I was doing and let me do what I needed to so I could calm down and she just wanted one of the origami mushrooms in return the next day. She was my favorite teacher that year and it always makes me smile because she helped my day that time a lot!” Graham is not the kind to judge people, even when holding people to high standards. Her heart is always in the right place, wanting the best for each and every one of her students. 

Pray added, “She impacted me so much mentally by helping with my horrible, and genuine, caffeine addiction that year, and she got me through it without making me feel bad about struggling in the first place. I wouldn’t be where I am without her understanding.”

Senior, Heidi Urban holds Graham close to her heart, saying, “Mrs Graham was probably the most impactful teacher I had through my whole high school career, and I will forever remember everything she has done for me.” 

Graham is unforgettable, just as she holds memories from the past thirty years, many students have just as many. Senior, Emma Edgeworth recalls the games she played with the class, “she turned things into games and helped to make things stick with people. She valued all of her students and was kind and hilarious every day. Her class was a great solace to me and made me smile without fail when I was struggling through sophomore year.” 

Outgoing, empathetic, and passionate, Mrs Graham is going to be missed by all. Her impact has changed the way many Kearsley students think.

With her taking her leave this year she has some final words of advice for students,

“Be the best version of yourself you can be. We have the better every day and we joke about it, but just do the best that you can. By not doing your work, by not being your best, you are closing doors. You never know who may come into your life and it is not what you know,but who you know, there’s a lot of connection you have  just by interaction. And if you don’t have the knowledge or work ethic you’ll close doors.”

Thank you for all you have done for Kearsley Students and staff Mrs Graham, we hope retirement treats you swimmingly!