Mrs. Lauren Allen is retiring after spending 19 years working in education, including 15 years at Willow Creek and the last four years at Mayo High School. Even after all those years, she still says she enjoyed getting up every morning and going to work because she loves helping students. Mrs. Allen explained that she liked working at Mayo because there is such a strong learning environment in which many students enjoy discovery and academic achievement.

During her time at Mayo, she worked with many teachers and staff members who made a positive impact on her experience. Some of the staff members she nominated as people who stood out to her were Mr. Lang, Mr. McCormick, Mrs. Harmon, and Mrs. Keefe. She said the relationships she built with coworkers over the years became one of the best parts of her job.

At Mayo, Mrs. Allen worked as a note taker for students who are hard of hearing. Her job was to carefully write down everything that happened in class, so students could later review the information on their Chromebooks. All students have accessibility to each lesson posted in Google Classroom, which is a great help, since they can view them at any time. Mrs. Allen compiled notes on class instructions, discussions, practice problems, and anything that could possibly be on a test. Even though she did not always interact with students directly, Mrs. Allen engaged with classes and found the students very enjoyable. One of her favorite parts of the job was seeing class members finally understand something difficult. She described it as watching the “light bulb” turn on when a student finally understood a concept. It “clicked” for the student once they understood the idea, she said.

As she prepares for retirement, Mrs. Allen says she will miss the staff members and connections made at Mayo High School the most. She enjoyed talking with teachers before and after school as well as building friendships throughout her years there. Although she is leaving, she is excited for the future and the chance to spend more time with her eight grandchildren. She also plans to continue enjoying hobbies such as kayaking, hiking, and photography. One of her favorite memories in life so far was going on an 18-day whitewater rafting trip through the Grand Canyon with her father, which is an experience she says she will always remember. 

So, Mrs. Lauren Allen, as you begin your retirement, the Mayo community would like to say “thank you” for the love and care you’ve shown the Spartans over the years. We will miss your happy smile, willingness to help, and the meaningful impact you’ve made on students and staff every day.