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GLOUCESTER, Va. (WAVY) — Susan Sharp teaches in the same Gloucester High School classrooms she once sat in as a young girl.
“I actually graduated from here and applied to lots of places, and it’s just where I got a job,” she said.
For 27 years, Sharp has taught English at GHS and is now the department co-chair. Though she says for all those years, no two days have ever been the same.
“Even though you’re teaching the same stuff, it’s never really the same because the kids aren’t the same, and I like that,” she said.
Classroom learning saw some serious changes during the pandemic – and some of her students had a hard time with virtual learning.
“We have a lot of students, just like everyone else across the country, who are just behind,” she said.
So Sharp decided to make a change. She spearheaded an after-school program to help students who maybe need a little extra push to get to the next level. The focus is on sophomores and juniors, with the hope that they won’t fall behind and will be able to graduate on time.
“You start to learn where the struggles come from, and you can target those.”
The school principal says because of Sharp’s hard work and dedication, more students are scheduled to graduate on time.
“Sometimes they just need to feel like there’s a person pulling for them,” Sharp said.