has been teaching Spanish classes for the past 25 years.  

     Haynes holds her second-grade teacher, Mary Coats, dear to her heart. In elementary school, Coats 

inspired Haynes' love for education and encouraged her to pursue a career as a teacher. 

     “She was the kindest person, and she always had time for us,” Haynes said. “She always acted like she was listening, and she really connected with every child; I remember thinking she had the greatest job.” 

     Haynes was inspired to teach in the same manner as her old teacher had, to create relationships with each student. She has kept teaching for half a century for one reason: her students. From the moment they enroll in her class, Haynes views her students with the same respect and love as she would her own children.

     “I've been inspired by every kid that has walked in my door,” Haynes said. “I tell my students that when they walk into my class, they become one of my kids, and they're one of my kids for life.”

     The connections she makes with her students result in life-long friendships. Her students are more than just scholars; they are a part of an extended family. 

     “I have had the privilege of teaching all the kids in a family and I know the grandparents, the parents [and their] kids,” Haynes said. “[My students] keep me on my toes, teach me things, [and] their ongoing energy keeps me going.”

     Her students have impacted her and have been a source of strength for her in the difficult times of her life. Despite all the challenges Haynes has gone through, her classroom has always been her sanctuary. 

     “Regardless of how bad [my] life is going or how dark and dreary it is, when I step foot in this school, whatever it is I deal with goes to the back of my mind because my students are my focus,” Haynes said. “It’s my safe place and my happy place.”

     After five decades, Haynes continues to evolve her teaching style every semester to meet the needs of her different classes. With these experiences, she stays excited about teaching, constantly adapting her approach.

     “I teach students Spanish, not Spanish to students, because every class is different,” Haynes said. 

     Despite the joy of teaching, one of the hardest parts of the school year for Haynes is watching her students graduate. 

     “I cry all throughout graduation because I'm watching four years of y’all leave, and it's not fair because I have to watch y’all leave every year,” Haynes said. “It’s rough, but I have to remind myself they’re not leaving, just moving away, and there will be a new group of students here that needs me just as much.”

     When it comes to retirement, Haynes wants to stay focused on enjoying the present and has no immediate plans to step away. 

     “If I feel that I am not being relevant, and I cannot reach students, and I can’t be everything I expect myself to be, then that’s the day I retire,” Haynes said. “I’m not gonna live in what’s to come, I’m going to enjoy the here and now.”

     While reflecting on her years teaching, Haynes lives by the motto: no reserve, no retreats, no regrets. 

     “No reserve means you don’t do things halfway,” Haynes said. “No retreat means there’s no going back—we can’t redo, and no regrets means you did the best you could with what you had and what you knew at the time.”

     Teaching has been Haynes’s purpose, passion and way of leaving a remarkable mark in the world. She continues pouring her heart into her work for her students. The connections she has built, the lives she has touched and the lessons she brings to class play a significant part at Rose.