This week, students and staff at our secondary schools were given the opportunity to write letters and reflections for the families of Mr. Shelton and Dan Meyers. The poem below, written by Charlotte Ratke, an 8th-grade student at Lakeshore Middle School, is one of those reflections and beautifully captures the lasting impact Mr. Shelton had on those he served.
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Some people were meant to lead
Others to teach
Some meant to make people laugh
Some meant to create their own path
Our Mr. Shelton was all of this
Plus, countless more qualities we will miss
Most would say Our Mr. Shelton was a great man
That’s because he did what he was made to do,
He changed all of our lives
Helped us with what we couldn’t get through
I will never forget the things that he taught me
Every lesson was told in the way that he walked,
The way he taught,
How he laughed,
Told jokes,
Helped with your math,
Welcomed everyone,
Actually made school fun,
How he held you accountable,
Never gave up on you,
And made sure you always did what was true.
Some people demand God’s why
But instead, we must rejoice in his wonderful life
If Our Mr. Shelton were here with us now,
First, I’d have to apologize for the pranks we played
But then, I’d promise that one day,
somehow,
I would make him proud
Our Mr. Shelton was one of the best
That is why we are all so blessed,
For we are not just a few, but part of the many,
Of hearts, Our Mr. Shelton touched
For we know that he was the best part of us
So, God, I thank you
For creating a man so impactful
For placing him in all of our lives
God, I know how much you love him
Cause I’m already missing him all the time
