Upper School Classroom Named In Honor of Retired Teacher
Retired Collegiate School science teacher Ann Griffin was on hand today to participate in the naming of her former Upper School biology classroom in her honor. While making a recent gift to the School, Collegiate alum Jeff Congdon ‘78, and his wife, Jackie, decided to offer it in honor of Mrs. Griffin, who taught at Collegiate for 39 years before retiring in 2011.
"I often think about how she said I was worth saving,” said Mr. Congdon, who attended Collegiate from Kindergarten through 12th Grade and also sent his sons, Whit ‘02 and Mark ‘05, to the School. “She was a constantly positive influence in my life at that time."
"I often think about how she said I was worth saving,” said Mr. Congdon, who attended Collegiate from Kindergarten through 12th Grade and also sent his sons, Whit ‘02 and Mark ‘05, to the School. “She was a constantly positive influence in my life at that time."
Sitting at a student table in the classroom she once called home, Mrs. Griffin expressed deep gratitude both for the experience of having taught Mr. Congdon, one of his sons and other Collegiate students, and for the honor of being remembered in such a special way.
Mr. Congdon replied: "You touched a lot of people. You changed my life."
She beamed and responded: "There's no place as beautiful as the love shared between human beings. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."
Patrick Loach, Head of Upper School, remarked on Mrs. Griffin's dedication to the School, to her students and to her fellow faculty.
"Ann was both a mentor and a mother to most of us," he said. "It is appropriate that this is named the Ann Griffin Classroom. Ann was instrumental in its design (when the North Science Building was being constructed). So much about these classrooms are what would work best for a Collegiate science teacher. "
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"The most beautiful traditions are the memories we share," she said to Mr. Congdon, his family and to others who gathered for the naming of the room. "It means a lot that (those memories) mean as much to others as they have meant to me."
Mr. Congdon replied: "You touched a lot of people. You changed my life."
She beamed and responded: "There's no place as beautiful as the love shared between human beings. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."
Patrick Loach, Head of Upper School, remarked on Mrs. Griffin's dedication to the School, to her students and to her fellow faculty.
"Ann was both a mentor and a mother to most of us," he said. "It is appropriate that this is named the Ann Griffin Classroom. Ann was instrumental in its design (when the North Science Building was being constructed). So much about these classrooms are what would work best for a Collegiate science teacher. "
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