Every day a shirt and tie was worn.
But one day during spirit week, his everyday staples were gone.
In their place were two simple things:
A white t-shirt and jeans.
The new seventh grade math teacher Jeff Burgess stepped into MacDonald Middle School on twin day, and saw clones of his usual self. Every teacher wore a shirt and tie, but he was the one who stuck out — even though he was in a plain white shirt and blue jeans.
Confused, Burgess made his way to his classroom as students questioned him: Why wasn’t he twinning with the other teachers in school?
Burgess witnessed teachers laughing quietly as he walked by. He knew that he had been tricked, and he knew that Kevin Mayes, the computer science teacher, was behind it.
Pranks like this were the basis of a 19 year friendship between Burgess and Mayes.
“We’re both pretty childish and I definitely think that over the years I’ve pulled a couple pranks on him,” Mayes said. “There’s a lot of shenanigans in those memories.”
One reason that the two have a strong friendship is because they are opposites in many ways. Their different personalities complement each other nicely.
“I don’t like to talk and he talks a lot.” Burgess said.
Mayes is the opposite.
“He doesn’t say much and I won’t shut up.” Mayes said.
Their friendship isn’t just centered around laughs. Burgess and Mayes often spend time together on the weekends.
“Friday afternoon, sitting on his back deck, hanging out, watching the kids play,” Mayes said. “[It’s a] great way to start the weekend.”
A camera captured the moment as English teacher Steven Neal and Spanish teacher Diana Sanchez posed for a picture. That day in Barcelona, the pair became supermodels.
“[We enjoy] being silly, goofy, taking pictures together, acting like we’re supermodels,” Sanchez said. “Outside of school, we can be our silliest selves.”
Neal and Sanchez met at Michigan State University, both pursuing education. 14 years later, their friendship is still thriving.
The two have now gone on three separate trips together. Sanchez most enjoyed their travels in Puerto Rico.
“It’s really nice to know that not only are you a friend and a colleague, but to travel together, I feel like it takes special people to be able to do that,” Sanchez said.
As English and Spanish teachers, they’re able to support each other in their subjects. Neal helps Sanchez discover great books, while Sanchez helps Neal improve his Spanish. In addition, they are both passionate about activism and social justice.
Outside of school, the pair often gets together, whether it’s with a larger group of friends, their significant others, or just the two of them grading assignments.
As for school, they are fortunate enough to have classrooms close to each other, and visit each other often, as well as eating lunch together almost every day.
“Both of us are very comfortable just walking into each other’s rooms and it’s never an imposition,” Neal said.
