Every spring our area high school graduates are celebrated as they finish a chapter of their lives and move on. Another group that gets less attention is the retiring educators who so importantly impact the lives of those students. This year only one teacher retired from the Britton-Hecla and Langford Area schools. With the end of this school year, B-H teacher Vonda (Luze) Storley is bidding her students goodbye after 35 years of educating.
Storley grew up in Lead, SD and made her way to college at South Dakota State University. Her plan was to go into nursing, but she soon decided that career was not for her. “I quickly found I was not a fan of anatomy,” said Storley. “The big rat we had to dissect contributed to the end of my nursing goal.”
She took various classes to see what she was interested in and found she was drawn to psychology, sociology and ultimately child development. This led her to pursue an elementary education career. By 1988, she was looking for a teaching job.
Storley had lived with her grandparents during college in Brookings and her grandfather was hoping she would stay relatively close. So when she accepted a job teaching school in Martin, her grandfather decided that was too far away and kept looking for jobs for her. He found one just up the road in Britton. “The school called and offered me the job after my interview, and my grandpa accepted it for me,” she laughed.
Her grandpa made the right decision on her behalf. Storley began her teaching career in Britton in 1988. She started off teaching in second grade and that has been her passion since. She taught fifth grade for two years but was soon happy to return to the younger students.
When she reflects back on three and a half decades as an educator, Storley notes that she has often been challenged in her career. “The biggest challenge has been taking time to understand different learning styles and planning lessons that meet the needs of everyone in my class,” she said. “Catering to every student’s learning style can be a struggle sometimes, but it is our job as teachers to help all students find success.”
“I taped a quote on my desk years ago,” explains Storley. “It said, ‘If they cannot learn the way I teach, I will teach the way they learn.’ I didn’t want to forget that my way is not the only way or even necessarily the best way. I guess I measure my success as a teacher on their success as learners.”
Consequently, she learned to not fear failure and adapt. “I take it very personally when my students do not do well,” Storley emphasized. “If I am going to accept credit for their success, I need to also accept credit for their failures...because they are both mine as well. Change and grow with the class you have at that time.”
She adds that every single year, she will make changes to how she operates. “I have a money system that I have used since my first year of teaching. Once I have my new kids, we work on making that system work for us that particular year. The bare bones of the system always stays the same, but it is “tweaked” every year to “fit” each particular class. We get our schedule set. We establish structure, classroom rules, and create a routine.”
Over the course of 35 years of teaching, Storley notes that the biggest change has been technology. She says there is no point shying away from this fact. “We need to prepare our students for the world in which they will live,” said the teacher. “Like it or not, computers, social media, all forms of technology are a part of their world now. We owe it to them to change with the times in order to prepare them. It absolutely has its place in education for both learners and educators.” Storley adds though that she would never want to get rid of books as that physical form is so useful to students.
In the thousands of lessons she shared with her students, Storley said her biggest goal has been to teach her students to never stop learning and to work hard. “Try, always try,” said Storley. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. We learn from mistakes, too. Don’t worry about what others are doing, focus on your own gifts and improving your own skills.”
For Storley, the most rewarding part of the job is getting a front row seat to student growth and success. “Nothing really compares to the look on a child’s face when they tell you about an accomplishment they have made, a goal they have met, or how ‘good’ they are at something now,” she emphasized. “Watching their pride and confidence grow is an amazing thing to see.”
After all these years of teaching, one of the most special things for Storley has been getting to teach the children of some of her earliest students. She laughs when she explains, “They always want to know, ‘Was my dad as good as me in math or reading?,’ ‘Did my mom like to read these books, too?’ Or one of my favorites... ‘Was my dad naughty? Because he said he was really naughty!’” Despite maybe a few naughty students over the years, retirement was not an easy decision for Storley. She stressed, “I love teaching, I love all my littles. It is an exhilarating feeling helping these small humans discover their gifts and talents.” She thought about retiring when her daughter Emma graduated a few years ago, but then her sons, Gage and Luke, who were seniors this year wanted her to stick around.
“I have always put a lot of time and effort into my profession,” explained Storley. “It was awesome to watch my own children live, learn, and grow in the same building where I taught. But, during that time, I lost my sister, father, and within the last two years, my brother and mother. I realize the twists and turns that life can take and I want to refocus my priorities. I want to be available for the people who mean the most to me.”
Now that she is officially retired, Storley looks forward to taking a true summer off for the first time in decades. She’s going to enjoy some well-earned relaxation. “I am going to find some hobbies, enjoy my family, enjoy time with friends, and prioritize my well-being,” she said.
As she walks across the Britton-Hecla playground into the sunset, Storley has a big take away for all her past students and all the rest of us. “Be kind, compassionate, empathetic,” she implores. “Work hard and do the best you can. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t be afraid to offer help. Everyone struggles with something sometimes, so just be kind. If you don’t want to help, although I truly hope you do, at least don’t hurt.”
