BY EMILY KURTZ

Teacher and coach John Burton has decided to officially retire from teaching at Wadsworth High School at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. After 25 years of teaching 3 levels of biology, along with coaching cross country and track, he has had the opportunity to form exceptional bonds between his students and athletes.

Before starting his teaching career here at Wadsworth High School in 1993, Burton had originally been involved in constructing landscaping at Kent State University and Stan Hywet Hall. Between the two, he worked for six years as part of a ground maintenance crew that helped manage the land. This was originally going to be his career, but when he had the opportunity to attend Kent State for free he discovered that he wanted to become involved in the educational field. He concluded this by finding that teaching was not as laborious and that it was something he determined he had lot of a passion in.

“I had the opportunity to get a career that I knew I would like to do and I already had a background in microbiology, so I wanted biology because I love it,” said Burton. “I student taught here in ‘92 and then one of the fellows I student taught with retired a year later so I was able to take his position.”

Throughout his time at Wadsworth, Burton has constantly been motivated to continue by his eager students and their open-minded attitudes towards learning.

“It’s a pleasure to come in and teach students who generally want to learn,” Burton said about his students. “I love the job, it’s not even a job to me.”

Although Burton is done with teaching at Wadsworth, he may not be finished with his work in its entirety. He still plans to continue coaching both cross country and girls track and field afterwards.

“Coaching is just an extension to teaching and I still have a couple girls that I want to coach until the end of their careers,” Burton said.

Along with continuing to coach, Burton will also consider to continue to teach if another similar job is offered later on down the road, but as of right now the timing seems to be perfect for him to retire.

Burton’s teaching and humor will be missed by many as he leaves Wadsworth High School this year to begin a brand new phase of his life.