On the first day of classes at Delta College, it wasn’t just recent graduate Sammie Hales who was finding her way around campus. Walking beside her, carrying a blue bag and an even brighter smile, was her former teacher, Mrs. Lockwood—this time not as the instructor, but as a fellow student.
The two enrolled together in an American Sign Language class, a decision that grew from a simple idea. “How cute are these two on their first day at Delta!?” Pamela Hales said of her daughter and former teacher. “Sammie convinced Mrs. Lockwood to take a sign language class with her this semester.”
For Mrs. Lockwood, a retired teacher, the opportunity represents a full-circle moment. “I’ve spent a lifetime teaching, but I never want to stop learning,” she shared. “To walk into a classroom again, side by side with one of my former students, feels like such a gift.”
For Sammie, the experience is equally meaningful. “She was my teacher, and now she’s my classmate,” she said with a grin. "Not everyone gets to start college with some one who’s been cheering for them all along."
Their story is a reminder of the lifelong connections education can create. A bond formed in the classroom years ago has grown into something much more—an example of learning, laughter, and encouragement that doesn’t end with graduation.
As Sammie and Mrs. Lockwood begin their semester, one thing is clear: the roles of teacher and student may shift, but the joy of learning together never fades.
“Education doesn’t have an age limit,” Mrs. Lockwood added. “Sometimes, the best lessons come when we sit down as equals.”
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