Many teachers come in and out of the doors of Lakeland High School every day, ready for a long day of teaching students and planning curriculums. The difference between these teachers is the faces they plaster on and the treatment of their students.
If you ever need a good laugh or just a bit of cheering up, Mr. Williams is the go-to teacher at Lakeland High School.
“Mr. Williams is my favorite teacher because he jokes around with the students and is more interactive. He makes the class more entertaining this way,” Avah Clark said.
Mr. Williams is Lakeland High School’s health teacher and is a light to every room he walks into.
Williams’ class is filled with essential learning but also adds humor to keep students engaged. It never feels like a burden to walk into, and students come out with a smile rather than a frown.
Williams has taught at Lakeland for years and has won over many students throughout his time. He creates close connections with his students, making them feel heard and seen in his classroom and encouraging them to come and visit with him even years after they are out of his classroom.
“Mr. Williams is one of the best teachers I have had over the years; he is very supportive and always makes sure that I am having a good day,” London Peterson said.
While Williams has been a health teacher for the last two years, he has also taught weights and the gym before. These classes are where most people remember him as the most fun.
From the random games he made the students play to the discussions and TED talks he would sometimes give at the beginning of class, Williams looks out for his students and wants them to have a good time.
“I remember many pep talks and life lessons he taught us in our Freshman and Sophomore weights class. A lot of those talks really stuck with me, and I still think about them to this day,” Peterson said.
I remember having Williams throughout my Freshman and Sophomore years, and one of my favorite things about him was that he was dependable and kept his word. Every time I told him about a game we had later that night or a competition that was very important to me, he would show up and support me and other students who did the same.
Sometimes, he was there even when my parents could not be, and it made me feel better to know someone was in the crowd supporting me.
Williams has done this for many students, and while he may not think it is a big gesture or anything, some that I have talked to will tell you that this is their favorite trait of Williams’, and it made them feel better about a game or a competition.
Some even say that Williams was their only support in the crowd, and it felt good to have someone at their match even when they were down in the dumps about the others who could care less to show.
Williams’ support and advice have stuck with many students and will continue to help them on their journey. Even some sillier talks or the more “common sense” ones have left students with a better mindset and life path.
I can personally advocate for some of these talks, which have stayed with me and even come in handy throughout high school.
Williams has taught me many things over these last four years, but if there is one thing that I have lived by since the first time he said it my Freshman year, it would be to cherish the little things in life and take nothing for granted.
I wish I had considered that a little more and not laughed at him the first time he told it to me.
He was right about cherishing even the little things. As high school got more complex and friends got more distant, these words bounced around in my head more and more, and I started to follow them like he said to throughout the years. They have helped me with some things these last few years, and I can confidently graduate by saying that I have no regrets about leaving behind in this school.
While Williams may not know it, he is a favorite of almost everyone in this building and makes school enjoyable for students. Whether he thinks it or not, he helps students achieve their goals and maybe even come out of their comfort zones.
