An Ode to Mr. Hendricks

March 13, 2010 • Mark Small  
Filed under Opinion

Although often times strenuous and difficult to determine, this year’s senior dedication of the yearbook took on a whole new form of debate. After weeks of dispute and protest, the senior class finally came to a peaceful and long overdue decision. However, while the seniors are certainly excited and happy to reveal the selection, one strong candidate was not eligible to be selected, and thus we would like to acknowledge him through the newspaper.

Every year in his famous “fresh start speech” Mr. Holden reminds us that each candidate for a teaching position must state in their interview, early and emphatically, that they “love working with children.” While certainly all of our teachers enjoy working with their students, I am certain that these were the first words said by Mr. Hendricks. A long time businessman and football coach, Mr. Hendricks came to St. Andrew’s in 2006 as a Latin teacher to work closely with children at a place that cared about their development as much as he did. A friend of the students, whether taught by him or not, Mr. Hendricks was always available for a friendly conversation or a warm greeting.

Although Mr. Hendricks always went the extra mile to show students his care for them, he will be remembered most by his dedication to see students develop outside of the classroom. Attending sporting events (so many as to arise suspicions among students that he can be in two places at once), student performances, and any school sponsored event, Mr. Hendricks devotion to student growth, both as scholars and people, made him a beloved member of the St. Andrew’s community. When remembering Mr. Hendrix, students recalled his relaxed and comedic style of teaching, unwavering friendship, and his devoted concern for their well-being.

Still seen roaming the sidelines at sporting events, in the stands at performances, and warming the hearts of many students, Mr. Hendricks continues to use his retirement to watch and help students grow and develop throughout high school.

To conclude, I asked several students, some formerly his and some not, to offer one phrase to capture Mr. Hendricks, and every student agreed that, “even if you didn’t know him, he knew you, and even if you didn’t care about him, he cared about you.”

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