Jamie Harkin is set to go to university next year and although his whole school year group is excited about their futures, it has made them think about one person who is missing.
English teacher Graham Peters died from cancer in 2017 but he had a big impact on Jamie and his classmates at Drumragh Integrated College in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Now 18-year-old Jamie has created a calendar in his memory and to spread Mr Peters’ message of positivity.
Jamie, who is Head Boy at his school, tells Metro.co.uk: ‘As I move on to the next chapter of my life to go to university next year, I felt it wouldn’t be right to move on without paying tribute to a man who was such a huge part of my life at school. He developed my love for the subject of English.
‘Mr Peters was a huge lover of quotes. His classroom walls were adorned with quotes from Disney, Toy Story, Roald Dahl and everything in between. If there was a new quote someone brought to Mr Peters or that he found himself he would always find room on one of the four walls somewhere.
‘I felt that Mr Peters positive influence on us all would be best reflected in a calendar, which has a quote – a positive thought – for every single day. It’s your daily prescription of inspiration.’
The 366 Pockets of Positivity calendar includes sayings from authors, famous characters and even Mr Peters himself.
Inside the front cover is one of his most famous quotes: ‘I’m not leaving until I see you smile.’
The teacher had a huge impact on Jamie throughout his time at school.
‘Mr Peters had a talent of making everyone feel like he loved them, even if they weren’t taught by him,’ Jamie said.
‘I remember fondly in the first year of secondary school, Mr Peters stood up at the front of the room with a few oranges and a bowl.
‘Mr Peters used this orange analogy to teach us on his first lesson with us that just like you can squeeze all the juice out of an orange, he was going to get the very best out of us as his students for the duration he taught us. I thought this was magical.
‘You could always hear Mr Peters from the top of the corridor before you could see him. He always had a story to share or something we’d all be interested in hearing.
‘He was a remarkable human being but more so a remarkable teacher. Quite often, we would spend full lessons listening to his stories but although they might not have had direct relevance to English at the time, he always found a way of moulding a childhood tale to something related to the subject of English at school. It takes a special teacher to do something like this.’
After coming up with the idea, Jamie complied all 366 quotes (as next year is a leap year, he needed an extra one) and spoke to Mr Peters’ widow Karen who said she loved the idea. He then designed the calendar and it was printed by a local printing firm.
He adds: ‘I never expected it to take off like this but it is absolutely incredible and I cannot wait to hand over the final totals to the charity… it will be a very merry Christmas for them!
‘People have got in touch to express how inspired they are by my story; people who themselves have lost relatives to cancer as well as teachers themselves who know how much of an impact teachers have on their pupils.
‘They have commented on how it is such a lovely way to remember someone and I have had many people wish me every success for my future and in this fundraising initiative. It has even picked up support from Eamonn Holmes as well as some politicians. Orders have been flying in from across the globe since it started, with packages going to Australia, USA and Canada.’
All the money raised from the calendar will go to a local cancer charity called Care for Cancer, where Jamie also volunteers.
He adds: ‘Seeing cancer patients fighting their battle with the support of Care for Cancer is truly inspiring. You really don’t know how much your efforts and fundraising is appreciated until you see how it is helping people on your own doorstep. It is for this reason that I selected a local charity, rather than a national.’
You can buy one of Jamie’s calendars online for £10, plus postage and packaging.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/15/teen-creates-calendar-positive-messages-every-day-memory-favourite-teacher-11910666/
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