In a quiet neighborhood in Germantown, Maryland, on Saturday afternoon, dozens of Vincent Gibbs’ former students gathered to pay tribute to their beloved high school teacher who is now battling cancer.
Students from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s arrived by school bus to serenade, honor and praise the retired teacher, now 82, outside his Germantown home.
“Mr. Gibbs, you were, without a doubt, the singular, most positive influence on so many of your students’ academic lives. You encouraged … demanded that we dig deep, that we work hard, learn much and take with us into our lives the knowledge that if we reach for the stars and put in the effort to achieve, anything can happen,” said Paula Sweeney, a former student and an organizer of the caroling.
They fondly remembered the Robert Peary High School they attended, which was in the Aspen Hill section of Rockville and opened in 1960, closing its doors in 1984.
The school’s former students recalled that their teacher was tough and demanding. Mr. Gibbs left an indelible impression on students, especially those who appeared in the more than 40 dramatic theater productions he presented.
“You took a risk and gave me an opportunity of a lifetime that changed my life and opened a whole new world to me. And I thank you for that investment,” said Rev. Bill Thomas. He said his horizons were limited to high school sports until Mr. Gibbs introduced him to the performing arts.
The ailing teacher smiled and waved from his upstairs bedroom window. He delivered brief remarks to the delight of his former students, evoking laughs and cheers.
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“This is one of the most memorable occasions in my life. I’m so happy there are people out there who can carry on so many of the things that I truly believe,” Gibbs told his admiring former students.
The students presented their beloved teacher with a small trophy of a rising star. They concluded with a rendition of the Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha, one of Robert Peary High School’s many memorable productions.