Teacher wants grads to share stories

Calling all Panther Valley graduates. Kim Laird needs your help.

The eighth-grade English teacher at Panther Valley Junior-Senior High School is working to show her students just what they can do after their school career is complete through a new project called “Take Back Your Education: Great Things Start Here.”

“So, next school year is already on my mind,” Laird said. “PV has great kids, great teachers, and can be a great place to learn and prepare for one’s future. I want my kids to be inspired by Panther Valley graduates who are successful and doing good in the world and I want to celebrate PV graduates.”

She is asking anyone who graduated from Panther Valley and is willing to share their story to send her a few paragraphs of what you’re doing, whether it is a stay-at-home mom, international CEO or brain surgeon; as well as a picture of yourself and the year you graduated.

“I want to take all submissions and frame them and hang them in my classroom to honor PV graduates and to inspire my eighth graders that anything is possible with work,” Laird said. “So many of you are living such awesome lives, so why not help give our future a little hope.”

There is no deadline for graduates to submit their story, Laird said, adding that keeping it open ended allows her to continually update the display as new letters and photos come in.

“Through celebrating the great people who spent much of their younger lives in Panther Valley and by sharing their stories and faces I hope our current students will realize great things do, indeed, begin here in Panther Valley.”

Laird, a native of New Jersey, has taught at Panther Valley her entire 32-year career and has worked to bring programs in to the students.

Most recently, she headed the Muttigrees Program, which is a therapy dog program that teaches social and emotional skills.

To share your story for the project, email Laird at lairdk@panthervalley.org.