By Shelbey Guarino, staff writer

“I have to remind myself that I don’t need to be Mr. Stacy.”  Nick Richardson enters his first year teaching English here at the high school as an individual, rather than as just another replacement.  

Before going to college, Richardson didn’t exactly know he was going to be a high school English teacher. “I didn’t know, but I thought about it.”

At first he thought he may have gone into something involving biology and chemistry.  

“I really enjoyed English in high school.  It seemed like a lot of people were good at math and science.”  Richardson mentioned how English seemed to be the subject people liked the least.  Because of this he hoped, “I could make a fun class.”  

At Hope College, Richardson majored in English education and minored in psychology.  However, “In high school I took a lot of theater classes,” he said.  

Richardson came to Plainwell after “I taught at a summer school called Upward Bound.  It’s for individuals that are first generations,” referring to the students who are the first in their family to graduate from high school.

Arriving at Plainwell, Richardson was nervous to get started.  Filling Stacy’s shoes wasn’t his main concern though.  “I am trying to fill my own slot.”

Plainwell, he says, is very much like Holland and the place he did his student teaching.  “The staff and students are welcoming.  It’s very refreshing.”

So far, Richardson’s time here has been, “Really smooth, yet fast paced.  Not hectic but definitely high calibered.”  

“Everyone is super gracious.  When you do well, people recognize it, and when you make mistakes, people forgive,” says Richardson.

He hopes to start writing curriculum for classes.  “Mr. Meilke and I are writing the College Reading curriculum as we go.”  Eventually picking a subject he is passionate about and hopefully creating a class for it.  Specifically, college-style courses for specific types of literature.

Richardson considers himself to be a flexible person who can think quickly on his feet.  “I’m not one to get stuck in a rut.”   

“I do my best to try to relate to my students,” he says (He knows what the dab is!).   

When he has a free moment,  “Sometimes I juggle in class to entertain myself.”  And in his leisure time, Richardson plays the guitar and sings karaoke.  

Additionally, fall is his favorite season.  “There is nothing like going out to the apple farm and going to the donut stand.”