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Until I took Dr. Offutt’s class, I was an underachieving student, but I left that class determined never to underachieve again. He not only taught me to think, he convinced me, as much by example as words, that it was my moral obligation to do so and to serve others.
Neither of us could know how our relationship would evolve over the years. When I first came back to DeMatha to teach English, I worked for Dr. Offutt, the department chair. My discussions with him as he mentored me were like graduate seminars in adolescent development, classroom management and school leadership.
After several years, I was named department chair, and our relationship shifted again. I thought that it might be awkward chairing the department, since all of my former English teachers were still there, but Dr. Offutt supported me throughout. He knew when to give me advice about curriculum, texts and personnel, and when to let me chart my own course.
In 1997, I needed his advice(好象原文是OPINION) about leaving DeMatha to become principal at another school. If he had asked me to stay at DeMatha, I might have. Instead, he encouraged me to seize the new opportunity.
Five years ago, I became the principal of DeMatha. Once again, Dr. Offutt was there for me, letting me know that I could count on him as I tried to fill such big shoes. I’ve learned from him that great teachers have an inexhaustible wealth of lessons to teach. Even if his students don’t know it yet, I know how fortunate they are; I’m still one of them.
在上奧法得教授的班級以前，我一直是個學習成績不怎麼樣的學生，但是，當我離開那個班級時，我決定再也不做一個差生了。他不僅教會我們思考，他通過事例和言語使我堅信，我有責任這樣做併爲他人服務。
我們兩人誰也記不起這些年來我們之間的友誼的發展過程了。當我第一次回到DeMatha高中教英語時，我是跟着奧法得教授工作的'，當時他是系主任。在和他的討論時，在青少年畢業研討會上，在討論教室管理和學校領導能力等問題時，他是我良師益友。
幾年以後，我被提名爲系主任，我們的友誼進行了一次換位。因爲我以前的英語老師還都在那裏，我想這個領導可能會很難當。但是，奧法得教授從始至終一直支持我。他總是在適當的時候給我關於課程、課文和人員問題的建議，並總是適時讓我自己制定自己的規劃。
1997年，關於是否離開DeMatha高中去任另一所學校的校長的事我需要他的建議。如果他要我留在DeMatha高中，我就不走了。然而，他卻鼓勵我抓住這個新的機會。
5 年前，我再次回到DeMatha高中並擔任校長。這一次，奧法得教授還在這裏等我，他讓我知道我可以信賴他，我可以做得和以前的校長一樣出色。他讓我感到，一個好的老師有無窮無盡的知識財富讓我們去學習。儘管他的學生們可能還沒有意識到這點，我知道他們是非常幸運的；我現在仍然是受益者之一。
