On Friday, Jan. 16, Westview Hills Middle School had a somewhat surprise visit from U.S. Congressman Sean Casten. While building leaders were aware of the visit, seventh grade social studies teacher Sondra LaPointe was not.
Congressman Casten recently launched a Constituent Spotlight program to honor outstanding constituents who give back to the community. The program invites individuals to nominate community members who make a difference to be honored by Congressman Casten. After receiving a nomination from a former student, Mrs. LaPointe became the third recipient of this award.
The surprise reveal happened during the second block as Dr. Scott entered the room to quiet the class and let them know that he had a special visitor ready to come in. Representative Casten then entered and spoke to the class about the recognition and presented Mrs. LaPointe with a leather bound letter and certificate.
“This is a very meaningful honor and a well-deserved acknowledgment of the impact Sondra has on our school community each day,” said Dr. Scott. “We were so excited to be able to work with Rep. Casten’s office on this initiative and celebrate one of our incredible teachers.”
The program invites individuals to nominate community members who make a difference to be honored by Congressman Casten. For Mrs. LaPointe, it all started with a nomination from former student Eva J.
“I had the honor of having Mrs. LaPointe as my 7th grade history teacher. Her class was the one I looked forward to the most each day. Her spunky personality always brought out the best in all the students,” said Eva in the nomination. “Even into my high school years, I still go back and remember all the tips and tricks she taught us for remembering specific information—and I use them to this day!”
Mrs. LaPointe prides herself on instilling the values of hard work, curiosity, and community in all of the students she serves and shared that she was very humbled by this award.
“Having a former student nominate me for the Constituent Spotlight honor makes this award even more special,” said LaPointe. “My Wildcats, current and former, continue to be my motivation; they have helped shape and mold the Mrs. LaPointe that I am today. My Wildcats know that once they go onto high school and beyond that I will always be there to support them...as I tell them, 'Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat!'”
Because Mrs. LaPointe is always looking for ways to make social studies come to life for students, she noted to Representative Casten that the class was discussing the Articles of Confederation that served as the first governing document of the United States before the establishment of the U.S. Constitution. Casten then took some time to talk to students about these documents and their historical impact. It was an impromptu mini lesson on federal government from someone who is actually part of one of the three branches of government.
Congratulations again to Sondra LaPointe for this well-deserved honor and for making an impact on so many student’s lives.
Read the full nomination from Eva:
“I had the honor of having Mrs. LaPointe as my 7th grade history teacher. Her class was the one I looked forward to the most each day. Her spunky personality always brought out the best in all the students. She always knew how to brighten your day with a simple yet funny joke, and she never failed to teach an incredible lesson. When our 8th grade D.C. trip rolled around, my friends and I knew we’d have the time of our lives because Mrs. LaPointe would be there experiencing it with us. A memory I go back to quite often is when I brought a pair of Barack Obama socks on the trip. When she noticed, we had numerous discussions about the political state of the world. It felt very refreshing to be treated as an equal and to have a real conversation. Even into my high school years, I still go back and remember all the tips and tricks she taught us for remembering specific information—and I use them to this day! She’s left a lasting impact (specifically on our year) because we had such a wonderful relationship with her and knew that she’d always be there to support us in anything we needed.”