Maryellen Wright:
CLASS OF 1969
West High SchoolClass of 1969
Garden city, MI
Bishop Dwenger High SchoolClass of 2010
Ft. wayne, IN
St. Mary's High SchoolClass of 1969
Wayne, MI
St. Theresa's High SchoolClass of 1969
Detroit, MI
Radcliffe Junior High SchoolClass of 1965
Garden city, MI
Maryellen's Story
Life
Hello! I've just retired from teaching high school (Spanish) in a Catholic school in Fort Wayne, Indiana where I was the chair of the department of World Languages. I've been living in Indiana since 1979 and this place has finally grown on me. I felt very comfortable teaching in a Catholic school environment because I attended Catholic schools (St. Theresa's in Detroit and St. Mary's in Wayne) and was taught by nuns through 7th grade. After that, my brother and I went to Radcliff and on to Garden City West High School. My brother Mick lives in Westland. My three sons are all married with two or three children each, so I'm a grandmother of seven, 5 girls and 2 boys. I've been happily married to my second husband Steve, a mathematics professor, for 25 years. My sons are 41, 40 and 38 and the youngest is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Naval War College. Two are in the US Navy, stationed in Millington, Tennessee and Seattle, Washington. I love hearing from my old friends from Garden City. NEWS: I've sold our family home on Ross Street in Garden City, since my dad passed away in June, 2005. Selling that house full of memories was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. News from spring, 2006: I've been named 2006 Indiana High School Spanish Teacher of the Year by my professional organization, the Indiana chapter of the AATSP. An amazing surprise! It's so nice to be validated for all your hard work. News from November, 2006: I've been named 2006 Indiana Foreign Language Teacher of the Year by IFLTA (Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association) at the secondary level. News from June, 2007: We've just moved into our dream house, a 110-year-old Victorian home with 5 bedrooms, two staircases and lots of great woodwork and inlaid oak floors. Our friends all think we're crazy; most people our age are downsizing but our new house is more than three times the size of our old one. Over the years we've collected so many antiques that they were crowding us out of our Auburn home, so we bought an antique house to hold all our antiques! If you're ever in Angola, IN. stop by for a visit. February, 2008: My youngest son Matthew will soon be sent to Afghanistan for four months. Please keep him in your prayers. July, 2008: Steve and I just returned from a trip to Spain with our two oldest granddaughters. It was their first trip to Spain, and our sixth. We love it over there! My son Matt e-mails regularly from Afghanistan --- so far, so good. He's...Expand for more
due to come home at the end of this month. I've been sending him care packages. July, 2008: I've just had cataract surgery on both eyes. The good news is that my vision is now nearly perfect. No more contacts! The bad news is that cataracts are for old people. :-(
Fall, 2008: Just wanted to add that my son Matt did come home safe and sound from Afghanistan. What a relief! I've been on Facebook for a few months now and it's a lot of fun, besides being FREE. Another great way to keep in touch. August, 2009: Steve and I just returned from a week in Portland, Oregon, where he had a mathematics conference. We had a great time and now it's back to school for me. May, 2010: At the end of this month I'm retiring from teaching high school. In the fall I'll be teaching four Spanish courses at Trine University here in Angola, the same place where my husband teaches. June, 2010: Just returned from Seattle/Bellevue Washington where we visited my son Matt and his family. September, 2010: Enjoying my new job teaching Spanish at Trine University. Fall, 2011: Second year at Trine U. Even though I teach a full load (4 classes), it still feels like a part-time job after teaching high school for so many years. My oldest son is now 43 -- can't believe it!
School
I started kindergarten at Farmington School in the fall of 1956, but I only attended for a few months. We moved back to Detroit and I went to St. Theresa's School for 1st and 2nd grades. Then we moved back to Garden City and I attended St. Mary's School in Wayne for the next 5 years, through 7th grade. For 8th and 9th grade I attended Radcliff Jr. High and from there I went on to Garden City West High School.
College
In 1985 I received my bachelor's degree in Secondary Ed. with a major in Spanish, a minor in English, didn't quite complete a French minor. In 1993 I received a master's degree in Spanish Teaching from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Workplace
My first job was at Amy Joy doughnuts at the corner of Plymouth Rd. and Middlebelt, across from Wonderland shopping center. I was sixteen years old, still in high school and I earned $1.05 per hour. I also worked at two different Dunkin' Donuts locations, at a bar in River Rouge and at a nursing home. I was a nurses' aide at Garden City Hospital from 1972 to 1975. Since earning my bachelor's degree in 1985, I've been teaching. I've taught at 3 high schools and 4 universities. I completed my master's degree in 1993. I look forward to retirement!
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