ROXANA - As a graduate of Roxana High School, Tommy Hill has a lot of passion for the community and the people.
The wrestling coach and driver’s education teacher is well-known for his work to support students. This Teacher Appreciation Week, he’s celebrating the students and educators who have made him into the teacher he is today.
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“I had so many teachers that were such great role models growing up,” Hill said. “They all inspired me to come back to my old high school and give back to my community.”
Hill named Coach Jeff Welker in particular. Welker, Roxana’s previous head coach who passed away in 2015, was “such a great person,” Hill said. He hopes to inspire his students in the same way that Welker did.
While it’s hard to follow in the footsteps of a legend, Hill has made his own legacy as a caring, invested coach and teacher. He makes a point to connect with every student, and he enjoys watching his students grow into the people they’re meant to be.
“My favorite part of being a teacher is that I get to see students mature from freshman, to great young adults as they graduate,” Hill said.
When he’s not at school, Hill can usually be found spending time with his family, including his three young children. He also loves playing golf. But his real passion is coaching wrestling, and he spends most of his afternoons with his team on the mat.
As Teacher Appreciation Week comes to a close, Hill is marking another great year as an educator. He looks forward to next year, which he views as a chance to get to know more students and families in the Roxana community.
But of course, it’s not always easy. There’s one area that Hill finds particularly difficult.
“The most challenging part of my job is keeping up with all of the new vocabulary the kids use from year to year,” he joked.
Thank you to Tommy Hill for your work as a teacher!
At RiverBender.com, we are celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week from May 6 to May 10, 2024, by highlighting a Riverbend teacher every day. If you would like to nominate a teacher to be profiled, email sydney@riverbender.com with their name and email address.
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