One of LHS’ Greats: Mr. Lee
November 21, 2022
Nestled between the classes of Ms. Rapa and Ms. Iby sits room D205. The lights are dimmed and the sunlight pours in through the windows. The windows themselves are lined with jars of once-live animals, now tightly sealed and sitting in alcohol. At the front of the room sits a SmartBoard, next to it, a list of upcoming events and deadlines. Five neat, even rows of desks sit awaiting wide-eyed students, as lab tables line the back of the room. And then there’s Mr. Lee. Sporting a white button-down and a fleece vest, Mr. Lee radiates pure passion as he teaches. I’ve genuinely never seen someone more excited to talk about the molecular formation of the human body.
I stepped into the doorway of D205 for the first time on August 30, 2022, the first day of my senior year. I had never been a science person; but, in a hasty, last-minute decision I signed up for Honors Anatomy and Physiology. I sat down, ready to spend yet another year bored and confused. I was immediately proven wrong. Mr. Lee began the class with a two-minute meditation — a short moment that would quickly become part of my daily routine. His eyes glowed as he explained the syllabus. Within minutes my hatred for science slowly began to melt away. As the weeks went on, I noticed a peculiar change: I began to look forward to going to science. I knew that when I walked into D205 I would spend my time growing my understanding of my body and learning more than I ever thought possible. My deep hatred for science began to morph into love.
Mr. Lee’s Journey to LHS
Although Mr. Lee has grown to be one of the most influential teachers at LHS, his journey to the school was anything but linear. Mr. Lee started his career at Northeastern University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in science for biology. From there, he began work on his master’s degree in paleontology. During his time as a grad student, Mr. Lee began to work as a teaching assistant — in undergraduate, graduate, and night school classes. Then, he decided to step away from his master’s degree at Northeastern and begin to work as a research lab technician in a lab.
These teachers all encouraged me to ask questions, explore my interests, and were always very supportive whenever I was wanted to try something out, whether it was messing around with the dissection of a mink or just playing around with some chemicals.
— Mr. Lee On His Biggest Influences
When Macintosh computers first came out, Mr. Lee started a graphic design studio. He kept up with this business for about twelve years, while continuing to teach night school. As he taught, Mr. Lee discovered his passion for teaching. That led him to the decision to go back to school and become a teacher.
Mr. Lee applied to multiple graduate programs in and around Boston, one of which being Harvard. He decided to attend Harvard based on financial aid, the length of the program (only one year and one summer), and pure convenience: he could bike to school and complete his student teaching at Cambridge.
Mr. Lee’s Time at LHS
After completing his master’s degree, Mr. Lee taught at Cambridge Rindge and Latin in Cambridge, MA (4 yrs). After moving to western MA, at West Springfield High School (3 yrs) and finally at Ludlow High School. 22 years later, he prepares to say goodbye.
Any moment where I can answer questions and we have a discussion or when they have a moment to say, oh okay, so that’s how that works. — Mr. Lee
Mr. Lee was unable to pinpoint a favorite memory at LHS. He was, however, able to describe some of his favorite moments. One of these moments is what Mr. Lee calls an “aha moment,” any time when a student makes some sort of connection. Additionally, Mr. Lee explains that he just enjoys being able to share what he loves.
“We talk about the body,” he says, “and if you can learn something and be a better citizen, a better medical consumer, a better health advocate for yourself, that’s a great thing to be able to do.”
Additionally, Mr. Lee explained that he loves helping students with career exploration, that sometimes he’ll have former students tell him that they decided to work in healthcare because of his class.
“Every year, I feel like there’s one teacher who grows my interest in a subject,” says senior Madi Ogorzalek, “this year, it was absolutely Mr. Lee. Outside of making me like science, his teaching style completely changed the way I view education, and the way I want to run my classroom when I’m a teacher.”
Post-LHS
Mr. Lee is planning on retiring this year, he has impacted the lives of countless students throughout his 22 years at Ludlow High School. As for his post-retirement plans, Mr. Lee says he wants to spend more time in nature. He wants to spend his newfound free time snowshoeing, hiking, and backpacking (specifically out west). Additionally, Mr. Lee has taken up pickleball.
As for LHS, Mr. Lee says he’s going to miss his students the most.
“It’s the daily coming in and seeing your smiling faces and we have a few laughs, we learn some skills (I hope). Doing that each day, it’s a pretty fun job if you find the right subject to teach. It’s a lot about fit. And so, I found a great fit, I really enjoyed it here. This is why I’ve been here for 22 years.”
