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Laurie Torrence is an 8th grade teacher at Federal Hocking Middle School. Torrence has taught at Federal Hocking schools for 35 years. She started off as a student teacher, then went to a high school teacher, and is now teaching 8th grade. Torrence’s love for teaching grew in 7th grade when her 7th grade math teacher introduced algebra to her. Torrences love for math grew when she was 12 years old. Her inspiration is her middle school math teacher Mrs. Delong. Torrence said the Federal Hocking Middle School principal, Sonya White, reminds her a lot about Delong, so White has…

Trystan Peyton is a new teacher at Federal Hocking Middle School. Peyton teaches sixth grade math and this is his first year teaching at Federal Hocking, even though Peyton has been around FH for six years due to coaching and pre-service hours. He loves FH because of its community. Peyton has taught for three years in total. He taught eighth grade at Meigs for two years. Peyton wishes to go back to teaching eighth grade because it can be quite difficult to keep younger students engaged and on task. Peyton also coaches girls basketball for Federal Hocking, and has done…

  On Nov. 9, 2023, Federal Hocking Middle School invited veterans into the school to honor them for their service. The assembly started off with the Federal Hocking Marching Lancers playing the “Star Spangled Banner.'' After they played the national anthem, students played “America the Beautiful.” The band’s director, Julia Brewer, was absent at the assembly so Raen Ridgway and Luke Marcum lead the band in the playing of the songs.  “It could have been a lot better. But at least we [the band] didn’t crash and burn,” Morella Ridgway, who plays bass clarinet for the marching band, said in…

Jaclyn Casey is from Poland, Ohio and is now a 6th grade teacher at Federal Hocking Middle School. She worked as a principal for the last three years, before that she was a teacher at WOUB. She took a break from teaching for a long time; she stopped in 2005 to travel, and came back to the classroom this year.  She lives at home with her husband who works at the Lancaster Prison as a sergeant and her three dogs. All five of her kids are grown. One of her kids Meredith  had a still born baby about three years…

Caring, loving and motherly: these are three words that describe Bobbi Jo Tabler, the guidance counselor at Federal Hocking Middle School. If there is a staff member that's truly being guided by their heart, it's Tabler. From a young age she knew she wanted to be a mom and decided to be an educator to then be around youth and help care for others.   “Through teaching, I’ve learned that my heart is more with relationships, making connections, talking with students.  It (teaching) just felt right. Teaching is not the only profession Tabler considered.  Growing up, she was an avid basketball…

Reading, writing and running are three things that drive 7th grader Elsie Amlin. She runs cross country, plays basketball and plans on joining track in the spring. Amlin is most inspired by her oldest sister, Olivia, and Evan McPherson. Amlin’s oldest sister really enjoyed running. Olivia now attends college in Miami, FL and runs as a hobby. When Elsie Amlin was in 5th grade, she first gained interest in running. Amlin is close to beating her P.R. of 13:55 in cross country. She is one of the fastest female 7th grade runners and has placed high in almost every race. …