Every year, the yearbook staff works diligently to perfect the school’s yearbook. One page, unique to the Wesleyan yearbook, is the dedication page. The senior class for the year picks a person who they [the class] have found impacted their high school experience in a positive way. that person is given a page in the yearbook dedicated to them.
Having the yearbook dedicated to you is an honor, and the dedicatee gets to be celebrated by the high school students, faculty and the community.
The dedicatee was announced on May 10. After a slideshow of pictures sent in by the [dedicatee’s] family and speeches made by the yearbook staff advisors, Mrs. Panetta and Mrs. Ragains and by Co-Editors Caroline Burke and Ansley Harper, the 2019 yearbook was dedicated to high school math department chair, Andy Randrup.
Mr. Randrup has taught at Wesleyan for one year but made a huge impact on the senior class regardless of the amount of time spent with them. Randrup’s favorite memory has been “laughing with [his] students every day,” said Randrup. The math students have Mr. Randrup as a teacher enjoy his class and “he has changed my outlook on math, but also he proves to me that teachers want you to succeed and all you have to do is be willing to ask,” said senior Ian Venkatesan.
“Math has always come very easy to me. In high school, I enjoyed helping others understand their math assignments. During my junior year in high school I decided to go into the Army for 20 years and then retire and teach high school math. God had different timing for me,” said Randrup. After putting himself last for his time in the military and living out the JOY motto, he still continues put others needs before his own in what he does for Wesleyan.
“Mr. Randrup goes way beyond his job description. He truly embodies our theme as he will take time out of his schedule to educate the students he teaches and don’t teach in their minds: through education, body: through coaching, and spirit: through his daily devotions and emanating love for Christ. Mr. Randrup radiates joy in everything he does and is one of the people who makes Wesleyan the unique and special place that it is,” senior Ansley Harper.
After speeches made by the yearbook staff, Mr. Randrup received his yearbook, watched a slideshow of his life and shared the moment with his family. Then, the high school students went outside to receive their yearbooks and enjoy ice cream on the quad.
“He is a phenomenal teacher, but even more than that he wants us to know and love the Lord. He shows us Jesus’ love in everything that he does. He is always available and will (and has) stayed after school for hours upon hours to help you and make sure you feel confident with whatever concept you were struggling with. He also is just so kind; for example, he bakes every one of his students cookies for their birthday, he makes a point to go to at least one of every sporting event that his students participate in,” said senior Laura Von Bargen.
Mr. Randrup is a teacher who makes everyone feel loved , and is so deserving of the yearbook.
