Colfax seniors honor Tim Devine at scholarship awards ceremony

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX  — While listening to Hailey Durand-Christianson, you definitely got the idea Colfax Middle School English teacher Tim Devine had a big influence on his students.

Durand-Christianson honored Devine on behalf of the Class of 2018 at the Colfax High School Senior Awards Ceremony May 2.

Devine will be retiring at the end of the school year after teaching in Colfax for 34 years.

Here is what Hailey had to say:

“I would like to take a few moments to give a special recognition to someone who contributed a lot of time, passion and effort to the Colfax school district. All of my classmates and I met him in seventh grade, and I am sure glad we did. Seventh grade was full of lots of memories, and I would like to share a few of those.

“A huge project in our seventh grade English class was called the Grammar Flap, which was a cheesy rap that helped teach us grammar. All of us rapped the lyrics wearing the cheesiest outfits. When we look back at the videos and pictures and become embarrassed, it was the true highlight of our middle school years.

“At the end of the year, as a reward, we got to go to the high ropes course. That was a fun time, but also a long ways. There was a thing called the ‘pamper pole’ that was about 30 feet high in the air, and it was a pole you would climb up, then down from the top and try to grab these bars a couple feet out. And one of my fellow classmates was scared of jumping off the pamper pole.

[“Becca,” interjected Tim Devine from the audience, accompanied by laughter from the audience. Devine was referring to Rebecca Lee.]

“We waited a whole 45 minutes until Mr. Devine finally coaxed her into jumping off.

“Not only was he an awesome teacher, but the same goes for him in the title of coach. That year, the boys and I learned what it was like to work hard. Football practice brought up-downs after up-downs, but this taught all of us to never leave a teammate, or anyone struggling, behind. One of the best moments from this year was when we found out that the Santa we wrote to in our younger elementary years was Mr. Devine.

“He was not only our biggest role model because of his Santa role but because he influenced all of us by his remarkable ability to see the best in everyone and help anyone that is struggling. After seventh grade, five years later, he is still actively involved in our lives.”

At this point, Hailey struggled to keep the emotion out of her voice so she could continue.

“Mr. Devine is here an hour before students come in and coaches after school. His students are not just students for him. He took all of us under his wing and became a father figure to all of us, inside and outside of school. Any student who had him as a teacher or a coach was lucky to have met and learned from him.

“Personally I want to thank him for all the advice and guidance he has given me. Multiple times, Mr. Devine has reviewed and suggested many things in my papers and essays and also has given me advice on anything I was struggling with.

“I wouldn’t be as successful or the person I am today without you. Mr. Devine, not only do I and my class appreciate everything you have done for us, but so does the whole Colfax school district. We have just a little something for you. It’s for your retirement. I know it may not be a huge amount, but everyone wanted to contribute a little something toward your retirement.

“We wish you the happiest of retirements with your loving family.”

Tim Devine

“The hardest thing about being a middle school teacher is we get these kids when they’re hormonal and bouncing off the walls, and it takes me two years to get them grounded. I usually escort them over to the high school, and then I don’t see them very often. And that’s hard. Because after two years of seeing them in the classroom, you do develop quite a bond.

“It does seem like just yesterday we were doing the Grammar Flap and trying to get Becca off the pamper pole. And all sorts of other amazing memories I have of this class.

“I’m also very proud to recognize so many of the Top 10 are attending UW-LaCrosse and that’s important to me. [Tim Devine is a graduate of UW-LaCrosse.]

“One other thing we did in middle school … we ended the year with a lot of poetry writing, and just for fun, I would write limericks about the kids, and I just happened to find the one I wrote about Hailey.

“It goes something like this  — ‘There once was a girl named Hay-Hay who slammed the basketball the hard way-way. Mr. Maas beat her up, she growled like a rabid pup and ended up going cray-zay.’

“Anyway, I don’t really know where the time has gone. I know on the outside, I look like an old man, but inside I feel like I did in 1984, which was my first year. And Colfax will always hold a special place in my heart.”

The audience in the Colfax High School cafeteria for the Senior Awards gave Mr. Devine a standing ovation as he went back to his seat.