Hersey dedicates reading garden in teacher’s memory

John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights held a ceremony Wednesday morning dedicating a newly-constructed reading garden in memory of S. Kathy Christenson.

The garden was planned to preserve the legacy of Christenson, an English teacher at Hersey for 13 years who died of cancer last fall.

“The English department thought it would be most appropriate to have something outdoors, because she was an adventurer, and something that spoke to her experience as an English teacher,” said Lara Becker, an English teacher at Hersey and a colleague of Christenson’s.

The ceremony included a performance from freshman violinist Gallia Kastner and poetry readings from English division head Charles Venegoni and senior Bradley Grochocinski. Family members, staff and students shared their memories of Christensen freely, Becker said.

Becker said the faculty at Hersey hopes the garden becomes a space where students can read, eat lunch and gather to talk. Plans are for the garden, which was paid for via donations and fundraisers, to expand over time thanks to things like senior class gifts.

A plaque in the garden, dedicating the space “In Loving Memory of S. Kathy Christenson,” includes a poem of hers that concludes with the line, “Let us never take our gifts for granted.” Becker said she urged the audience not to let Christenson’s words fall on deaf ears, saying “Let us, as the John Hersey High School community, not take this garden for granted.”