After five years at Huron High School, Friday, Nov. 1 marked Patrick White’s last day at Huron High School. For White, this was a tough decision to make.
White attended Western Michigan University to become an associate’s teacher and has been an educator for 10 years between teaching and coaching football. For the past five years, he has been a part of the River Rat staff both as a teacher and football coach.
“Huron is a great place,” White said. “I knew a lot about the legacy of Huron, and what the staff was able to accomplish with the student body, and I knew it’s the kind of place that I could come and grow as a teacher. And that’s what drove me here in the first place.”
The community of students and staff at Huron High School had especially stood out to White in his time at Huron.
“The people are great, the students are great, the faculty is great, the administration is great. I’ve enjoyed my time here,” White said.
The cause behind White’s departure is an administration position in Belleville Middle School. White states that his departure was not affected by the past or ongoing issues and problems with Ann Arbor Public Schools facing. Instead it was a personal choice White has chosen for the future of his career.
“This decision was not something I made lightly,” White said. “I’ve been looking for an assistant principal spot for the last couple years. I was only really applying to jobs that I thought would be the right fit for me to leave here because there were some only specific places I was willing to go after working someplace so great. My decision was solely about me, advancing my career and it wasn’t about the students, or any of the drama that’s been going on, buzzing around the district, it’s not about any of that.”
Freshman Mariko Sano is a student in White’s World History and Geography class.
“I’m sad that he’s leaving because he’s one of the best history teachers I’ve had and this is some of the best understanding I had of history,” Sano said. “But I understand that he’s leaving because he’s getting a position he’s really wanted for a while.”
In addition to teaching World History and Geography, White coaches the Huron Junior Varsity football team. Freshman Seth Payne is a student in White’s World History and Geography class as well as a student athlete under White’s coaching.
“Mr. White, or Coach White, as I’ve always called him, is a very detail oriented person. Whether on the football field or in the classroom, he expects the people he teaches and coaches to focus on the little things,” Payne said. “He is a great teacher, and feeds information to his students in a way that is easy to understand and retain. Mr. White is very laid back, but is passionate about what he does. He understands what his role is as a teacher and a coach and fulfills his role in the best way he can.”
White has made an impact and has left many unforgettable memories for students and teachers.
“One story I will always remember about Mr. White took place at football practice in mid-August,” Payne said. “We were going through stretches and several people had neglected their mouthpieces. Coach White saw this and made us stop our stretches to do push-ups. These events really speak to how important the little things are to Mr. White, this really speaks to how important the little things are to Mr. White.”
As of Nov. 4, who will be taking over White’s positions at Huron High School is unsure.
