After picking up my grandson from his first day of pre-school, the moment triggered memories from my past about school, and the many friendships that I had throughout my time in kindergarten and throughout my high school.

Just watching the kids exit the school, for parents and guardians to take them home, I could only ponder about where the time has gone. It warmed my heart when Christian saw me and came running to tell me all about his first day. It was great, and it will stay with me forever.

I can only briefly remember my days in kindergarten, but I do remember a lot during my early grade school days. I can remember that I was the class milkman, and I remember walking down the hall to get the many milk containers for us to drink. I thought it was awesome to be able to help in anyway that I could. But that was pretty much all I can remember about my kindergarten years.

I was still the guy the teacher picked to get the milk in my first and second grade. I believe that was because I was pretty tall during in my earlier years, and could handle the large container filled with white milk.

Christian had a big picture he made for his first day of school and proudly let everyone know it was his, and he still wanted to give it to his Pap Pap for picking him up, and taking in all the stuff he had done on his first day of school. It was awesome, but I told him that mommy and daddy needed it to stick it away in his baby book. He told me he wasn’t a baby anymore, that he was big. Still good stuff.

That also triggered more memories – going on many field trips throughout the years, and all the many different teachers that played a big role in my growing up.

Of course, I remember all the stuff my parents taught me, but coming from a teacher, I knew everything they told me was right.

My Mum and Dad taught me to respect your elders and to use my manners, to respect others how you would want to be treated. Sometimes looking back, I would put on my (big boy hat) and could see what they were trying to tell me.

As a young boy, I went back-and-forth to New Martinsville and Sardis Grade School, before finally staying at Sardis and River High School the rest of my school days.

Remembering my kids’ first days of school was most memorable, but when my youngest, Jeremy, graduated from pre-school with a cap and grown will go down as one of the greatest days. He stepped on his gown and fell, but brushed it off and went right up to greet his teacher Kathi Schmaltz and get his diploma.

He was very small and you just had to be there to witness it; it’s awesome to remember. I know the readers have just as good memories, and if you catch up with me at one of the games I cover, I would love to hear some of those memories too.

I can remember all the great teachers that I had, as well as all my many coaches in baseball, basketball and football. As I wrote in an earlier column, about the best coach I ever had – Gard Curtis. He was simply one of a kind. He was stern, but would teach, as well as show you how to play the game, with heart and soul, giving everything you had and more from the days at practice and during games. He wasn’t the head coach, but that didn’t mean much to me. He spoke my kind of language.

Not to take anything away from all the head coaches that I had; they, too, were awesome. Yet, it was just something about Gard Curtis. Something was just clicking on all cylinders when he taught me the game of basketball, and life.

I hope and pray a lot that my grandson Christian, as well as my granddaughters Tianna, Kyra and Sofia, will like all their teachers and learn something from them.

I know their parents will teach them all the stuff they need, but worry not knowing who their teachers are. But, being in the school system as a bus driver, coach and referee, and booster officer, I know that 99.9 percent of the teachers are great.

If any of my readers are parents that are worried about the children in school in Wetzel County, don’t fret; the teachers and staff have your best interests in mind. They, too, are moms and dads and will not only teach the kids what they need to learn, but even more.

If I can say one thing: study, study and study. If the subject comes easy to you, study some more, and learn and put it into your every day use. If your’re not in sports, try to stay involved in something – band, acting, singing and after school clubs are all good.

Good luck to all the area teams, but a special good luck to Hundred as the Hornets take on Beallsville Friday at 7 p.m. in Blue Devil territory, where they are looking to break its losing streak.

Those living on Route 2 – or have a business – let’s put up some signs, in helping motivate them with some good-old-fashioned Wetzel County Pride.