Randy Walters

He had 10 brothers and sisters. He grew up in a Canadian town situated on Lake Ontario called Grimsby. He worked at the University of Guelph, Ontario. But of all the countries and all the places he could be, and of all the things he could be doing, Randy Walters wound up teaching U.S. History at Valley Middle School in the New Ken/Arnold School District.

Walters embarked upon a journey as he left Canada that opened up a series of doors that led through Edinboro University and Gannon University. An opportunity arose to work on a teaching degree, and he grabbed it. "I wasn't fulfilled before," Randy says. "It's a great job to be able to go to school and help some kids - make a difference. I truly enjoy what I do." He must - not only does he teach eighth graders - but he is also in his second year as Valley High School's head football coach.

On the field and in the classroom, his job is really the same thing, he says it's to "help kids learn responsibility and respect." Both places, "I stress the fact that you can't start early enough deciding what to do, it's so competitive. If you are serious about college, you better be ready to go. [If you] play around, you're gonna lose."

That goes even if you are in second grade - Walters, who taught second grade at one point, taught his class to march. "They loved it!" he says. The neatness of their lines and formations prompted a sixth grade teacher to point them out to her class as an example, and ask "why can't you do that?" "They will do what is expected, great things. They love that," Randy points out. And in this case, his second graders didn't play around and didn't lose. They were made leaders of a sort to those older than them.

It is a common theme that runs through his teaching and coaching, according to Randy Walters: making opportunities to carry responsibility. A couple of former students dropped by and told him "we miss your class this year." Walters says, "When it's time to work, or time to play, I make sure they know when to do it. [They] enjoyed the fact that I give them a ton of responsibility, as long they can handle it."

From talking with Walters, one can tell that teaching students these things is a passion that is genuine to him. "I needed an extra hand as a kid," he explains. "I had a couple of teachers and coaches that helped me out when I was being an idiot." That's why he does it, why he - and other teachers and coaches - pour in so many extra unpaid hours. Someone made a difference in his life and now he wants do the same. Or, as Randy Walters says, "I was meant to do this."

Check out Randy Walters' hometown at www.town.grimsby.on.ca/