Reported by Mary Montemayor

This year, Niles North will be losing one of its most beloved faculty members.  Pamela Hendrix will be retiring after 35 years of teaching, 22 of which were spent right here at Niles North.

Many students over these years will no doubt have fond memories of  Hendrix, and she has some good memories of them, too. She recalls when she first came to this building, in the 1991-1992 school year, and six veterans of the program (mostly seniors) waited outside her office to greet and welcome her. In 2003, when she completed her cancer treatment, she received hundreds of hats from students, friends, and faculty members. Three of her students then accompanied her to the hospital where they shared some of the hats with others who needed them. And of course, she knows she’ll remember this– her final year – for many more years to come. The thing she’ll miss the most? The students, of course! In her own words, “I believe that they have kept me young!”

Even after retirement, Hendrix will still be busy. She’ll be working with her therapy dog, Lily, to help spread love to others’ lives. She is especially interested in working with autistic children. And when she’s not sharing the love, you’ll be able to find her on the golf course, working on her swing to win the Master’s (okay… just enjoying herself!).

Ms. Hendrix was kind enough to grace her students and her successor with some parting words. To her students, she writes “enjoy every day, laugh out loud often, be the best person you can be and be good to one another.” And the next teacher to take up where she left off: “enjoy every day because your career goes quickly, engage and love your students because they will engage and love you in return.  Above all else, be yourself, it’s the biggest gift you can give your students.”

From all your students, Ms Hendrix: We love you and we’ll miss you. Best wishes in your retirement and keep in touch!