The first thing you notice when walking into A114 isn’t the maps that he changes out every lesson; it’s his sticker-covered podium at the front of the classroom.

“My podium has been around forever…I tell students, ‘you can bring in stickers,’ but hardly any of them do. So almost all of those that are up there have been put up there by me. If you were able to go up there and peel them off, you would know that I probably play soccer, that I like to travel, that I like to camp, and that I like to do certain things by the nature of what’s up there,” says social studies teacher Lewie Stevens.

Stevens has spent 33 years at Floyd Central building up his sticker collection. He has seen many students, many players, and taught many history lessons. In addition to teaching, he coached the girls’ soccer team for 25 years.

“I see former students out in public and stop and talk to them and hear what they’re doing or some of my former players, because I coached the girls team for 25 years, and they tell me about their families that they’re having, which is cool. You get affirmations as a teacher all the time, like, I’m super glad I did this,” said Stevens.

As for his teaching career, Stevens chose this field of study because of his passion for it.

“I love history and political science. Political science is a little bit more difficult, so I would have to be at the college level, and I didn’t really want to do that,” says Stevens.

Many people are happy that Stevens has been a teacher here, and even though he is retiring, he will never be forgotten in the school’s history.

“Floyd Central has a long tradition of excellence, and teachers like Mr. Stevens have been a major part of that throughout the years. While we have many talented new staff members, teachers such as Mr. Stevens have been vital in carrying forward the culture, traditions, and values that have made Floyd Central what it is today. His influence has helped connect the past of Floyd Central to the present in a meaningful way,” said principal Scott Hatton.

Hatton has worked with Stevens for only two years, but Stevens has still made a huge impact on Hatton and the rest of the staff. Fellow social studies teachers Suzie Moss and Gage Brogan hold Stevens in high esteem as both a teacher and colleague.

“He gives very good advice. If you ever need a lesson plan or something fun to do, he’s always got a suggestion to make your class more fun. He’s just somebody that you can always count on as a person and as a colleague,” said Moss.

Moss has taught with Stevens for around 25 years, and she has enjoyed all of those many years.  She and many others believe that Stevens made a  long-lasting impact on the school and that his shoes will be hard to fill.

“Without Mr. Stevens, the social studies department will be in great shape because of the legacy that Lewie leaves behind,” says Moss.

As a colleague, Brogan also values the fun side of what Stevens brings to the staff, as their department eats lunch together most days in the teacher’s lounge.

“Without Mr. Stevens, the history department will be less frugal and better able to handle spicy food,” joked Brogan.

But it’s not just his colleagues who will miss Stevens; his students also acknowledge the legacy he leaves behind as a teacher.

“I would describe him as having a really bubbly and fun personality, and he always shows up with a good attitude…He always wants us to learn, and he’s so passionate about what he’s teaching us about, which makes his class so fun,” said Harper Davidson, a freshman who has Stevens as her history teacher this year. “His role is gonna be a hard place to fill, because he’s just such a light to FC, and his class is so fun, but his shoes are gonna be hard to fill.”

Similarly, sophomore Liam Violette, who has Stevens for history, said that despite it being his final year, Stevens has remained dedicated to his work.
“[I admire his] commitment, because it’s his last year, and he’s done a lot to help teach us a lot, even though it’s his last year. I know that some teachers would give up if it were their last year,” said Violette.

Stevens has made a long-lasting impression on many kids, and he continued doing so until he retired. There were many memories from his classes, but the biggest one many students reflected on was his personality.

“I really liked how positive he was. I feel like every day he was in a good mood and would tell us stories all the time…I think about all the friends I had there and the projects that we did that were really fun…He taught us about King Henry VIII and about how he had 6 wives, and I thought that was the most interesting,” says sophomore Noelle Nifong.

“I had a lot of fun, and a lot of my friends were in [his class]. I had him freshman year. I remember that he used to tell us funny stories all the time…We always went on walks, and he always took us around the school,” said senior Madison Williams.

Stevens has made a long-lasting impact on Floyd Central. After this year, Stevens’ shoes will be a hard pair to fill.