Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.
Laura Riggs is getting ready to retire after 35 and a half years at Ed White Middle School. She has taught social studies, English and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and coached volleyball, basketball, track and soccer. Throughout her career, she’s done a little bit of everything and loved every minute of it.
“I come from a family of educators, so growing up I always wanted to be a teacher. It’s been fun to hear the kids say, ‘You taught my mom!’ Or to hear, ‘Coach Riggs!’ when I’m at the store. This is a close-knit community.”
The incredible students and staff kept Riggs coming back year after year. While she’s getting ready to close out one chapter of her life, she’ll always be an Ed White Eagle. She’ll carry those special memories and relationships forward with her.
“Having kids come back and say thank you or invite you to their graduation is special,” said Riggs. “I loved reffing the Special Olympics basketball games. I would knight the AVID kids. We’d line up on the stage, they’d kneel and I’d dub them so they were knighted and they loved that.”
Every child needs an advocate. Riggs has been that for many of her students and it always touched her heart when they would come back to visit and say thank you. She’ll miss that most of all.
“I’ll miss being with the kids. I hope they remember that I cared. I had a kid come back once and tell me thank you for the tough love because now I’m going to college – that meant a lot.”
From 1987 to 2022, thank you, Laura Riggs, for devoting your career and heart to the Ed White community.
