There is perhaps no greater gift a teacher can receive than to hear from former students about how their time together in the classroom made an impact on those students’ lives.
Veronica Hildreth, who is part of the seventh grade team at Hixson Middle School in the Webster Groves district, has quite a collection of such correspondence from former students.
“I cannot believe that it’s approaching seven full years since I first stepped into your room. As a timid, unassuming seventh grader, I had no clue how much knowledge I would gain from your experience and guidance throughout that year,” wrote Andrew Blank. “Thank you for serving as the positive influence still guiding my journey.”
Hildreth, a nearly 30-year teaching veteran, is quite touched by the accolades. That lifelong commitment to education is a reason she has been selected to receive a 2015 Salute to Excellence in Education Award from the St. Louis American Foundation.
“I treasure the many notes and letters that I receive from former students who remember with gratitude our shared learning experiences,” she said.
Hildreth is the English language arts teacher for the seventh grade team at Hixson. She also has served as a supervisory teacher in the Student Teaching program for Missouri. She also has taught English language arts at McCluer High School and at Northlawn Junior High School in Streator, Illinois.
Hildreth, who was born in Jamaica, credits caring teachers during her formative years for helping her develop a passion for reading and a love of the language. Family support and her desire to have an international education experience led Hildreth to the United States. She earned her bachelor’s degree in language arts (grades 6-12) from South Dakota State University, a master’s degree in education, curriculum and instruction from Olivet Nazarene University, and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Webster University.
“I became an English teacher because I truly believe that I can instill in my students that passion for learning which was given to me by my teachers,” Hildreth said.
“I believe that the most successful language arts classes are in an environment that is caring, comfortable and challenging. When this learning community is established, both students and teacher will cooperate to form and embrace a unique group of learners. The teacher in this student-centered environment must not forget that each person is significant.”
Former student Robyn d’Avignon concurs. She nominated Hildreth for the 2001 Missouri Fine Arts Academy Certificate of Excellence, which Hildreth won.
“Mrs. Hildreth has been an inspiration to me,” d’Avignon wrote. “She was the only person who initially instilled confidence in me about my writing capabilities. No one has touched my creative spirit as much as my seventh grade teacher, Mrs. Hildreth, who sparked in me a love for language and literature.”
Still another former student, Samantha Stone, said Hildreth taught her to write in her own voice.
“I have written some of my best work in college while still using information and technique I learned in seventh grade,” she said. “Even after seven years, I still think of you as one of my greatest and most influential teachers.”
Hildreth and her husband John have three grown children who all have enjoyed success in their careers. John IV is an award-winning theatrical director and performer in Chicago, Ill. Daughter Heather is a graduate of Harvard Law School who lives in Atlanta, Ga. Her husband, Malcolm Anderson, is a psychologist in private practice. They have one daughter, T.J. Youngest daughter Michelle is a pediatric nurse at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. A former Peace Corps volunteer in Cape Verde, West Africa, Michelle received her medical training at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.
Hildreth, the veteran educator, continues to stretch beyond the norm to find new ways to enlighten her students through hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
Her students created a website on which they wrote stories after interviewing a variety of individuals, including war veterans, about their life experiences. Some of those stories were told for the first time. They also used images and captions of “The Mysteries of Harris Burdick” to create and then broadcast their original short stories.
Hildreth also co-sponsored the Bologna Brigade, an after-school activity during which students made sandwiches for the needy in St. Louis. The goal was to help students see themselves as caring members of a community.
“Teaching has given me the opportunity not only to empower students as learners, but to help students create the self-confidence to become more involved beyond the classroom,” Hildreth said. “I am very fortunate to be part of this great profession.”
