Vikki Reich: A Teacher Who Will Never Be Forgotten
Keeping Her Memory Alive
Vikki Speake Reich was an educator for many years, but she was more than a teacher. She was a mentor, a mother figure, a comforter, and a friend. There are no words to express what Mrs. Reich meant to all of us, as students. She was always willing to go the extra mile for us. Mrs. Reich was selfless. She always put others before herself, even when we would call her; she never wanted to talk about herself but was always asking how we were doing, or how someone else was. She was never short of advice. She told someone regarding marriage, “When you marry someone, don’t just love them. Make sure you also like them because the giddy stage of love will not last forever. I love Philip, but I also like Philip. I like the kind of person he is. I like what he stands for. I like how he treats other people. He’s my best friend.” She was a loving wife, and a friend to her husband, the Honorable Judge Phillip Reich. Along with Mrs. Reich, Judge Reich always welcomed us into his home like we were family. As far as her “History Scholars” go, we thought we were family. Mrs. Reich was also a fighter; however, cancer dampened her fighting spirits and she was taken from this life on March 30th, 2009.
Mrs. Reich touched so many people lives. She believed in all her students, and she wanted the best for them. If at all possible, Mrs. Reich would help guide her students in such a way where they fulfilled their dreams. It was once said, “A true teacher teaches from the heart, and not the book.” This describes Mrs. Reich perfectly. She was so passionate about teaching, especially history. She wanted her students to grasp “the big picture” to “connect the dots” and to fully comprehend the intricacies of United States history. A special group of students came through her class in 2003 and 2004 and graduated in 2005, which was properly named “History Scholars”. This group of students formed a relationship with Mrs. Reich that will last a lifetime.
Because of this relationship, we wanted to do something to honor her in such a way to keep her memory alive, and to help students continue to fulfill their dreams. The “History Scholars” have decided to set-up the Vikki Reich Memorial Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will be presented to an East Lawrence High School senior who has shown excellent leadership skills, and is a volunteer within their community. We believe this is the best way to honor her memory. We will be impacting the lives of a high school senior and helping them to continue their dreams with higher education.
Vikki Speake Reich was an educator for many years, but she was more than a teacher. She was a mentor, a mother figure, a comforter, and a friend. There are no words to express what Mrs. Reich meant to all of us, as students. She was always willing to go the extra mile for us. Mrs. Reich was selfless. She always put others before herself, even when we would call her; she never wanted to talk about herself but was always asking how we were doing, or how someone else was. She was never short of advice. She told someone regarding marriage, “When you marry someone, don’t just love them. Make sure you also like them because the giddy stage of love will not last forever. I love Philip, but I also like Philip. I like the kind of person he is. I like what he stands for. I like how he treats other people. He’s my best friend.” She was a loving wife, and a friend to her husband, the Honorable Judge Phillip Reich. Along with Mrs. Reich, Judge Reich always welcomed us into his home like we were family. As far as her “History Scholars” go, we thought we were family. Mrs. Reich was also a fighter; however, cancer dampened her fighting spirits and she was taken from this life on March 30th, 2009.
Mrs. Reich touched so many people lives. She believed in all her students, and she wanted the best for them. If at all possible, Mrs. Reich would help guide her students in such a way where they fulfilled their dreams. It was once said, “A true teacher teaches from the heart, and not the book.” This describes Mrs. Reich perfectly. She was so passionate about teaching, especially history. She wanted her students to grasp “the big picture” to “connect the dots” and to fully comprehend the intricacies of United States history. A special group of students came through her class in 2003 and 2004 and graduated in 2005, which was properly named “History Scholars”. This group of students formed a relationship with Mrs. Reich that will last a lifetime.
Because of this relationship, we wanted to do something to honor her in such a way to keep her memory alive, and to help students continue to fulfill their dreams. The “History Scholars” have decided to set-up the Vikki Reich Memorial Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will be presented to an East Lawrence High School senior who has shown excellent leadership skills, and is a volunteer within their community. We believe this is the best way to honor her memory. We will be impacting the lives of a high school senior and helping them to continue their dreams with higher education.