A surprise reunion occurred in the Upper School hallway when Clinton resident Andrew Burgess and his parents visited JA at the end of his eighth-grade year. “When I toured, it was kind of weird when my dad saw Coach West because I didn’t know who he was, but my dad knew him and wanted me to be in his class after seeing him,” said Andrew.
Richard West had taught Andrew’s father, Greg Burgess, even influencing his career choice. “My dad was a chemical engineering major at State and said he was inspired to do that because of Coach West. He retired from the State of Mississippi a couple months ago after being an engineer for the Ross Barnett Reservoir. My dad really liked Coach West.”
Now Andrew is in tenth-grade honors chemistry with Coach West at his dad’s urging. “I’m more of a math guy if I had to choose. Coach West is a good teacher.”
Even more than math, Andrew likes sports. He plays football and baseball and lifts weights after school. “I’m interested in sports nutrition and physical health, but I’m not positive about what I want to do in the future,” he said. Andrew says his transition to JA has been smooth.
Connecting with Greg Burgess when Andrew toured JA was a pleasant surprise for Coach West. “It had been a long time since I’d seen Greg. I don’t know how long,” said West, but one thing he did recall was the type of student Andrew’s dad was. “I was really excited to see Greg because he was one of my best students,” said West, who taught him at Clinton High School.
West’s philosophy of influencing students remains consistent with what it was when he was teaching Andrew’s father. “Teachers inspire students by being competent in their discipline, showing passion in their delivery, letting students know that you care about them as individuals, and always being prepared for lessons,” he said.
With that type of approach, teachers like Coach West make an indelible mark on students’ futures.
Richard West will speak at JA’s Upper School Chapel Service this Wednesday at 9:50 in the Performing Arts Center.
