The sophomore’s suicide note sat in front of 20-year-old Dr. GayMarie Vaughan.
The paper’s faded blue lines, meant to hold some trivial story about the summer, harbored something much more sinister, something that no parent, teacher or friend ever wants to see.
For brand-new student teacher Vaughan, this was something that she had never been prepared for. But now that it was right in front of her face, she was confronted with a challenging question: what do you do when your students need more than just a grammar lesson?
“It was very eye-opening,” Vaughan said.“I think at that moment I realized that these were lives, and we have the potential to, in some instances, save them. I think teachers feel that we’re more than just content deliverers, and on that day I was very well aware of that.”
It’s been more than 12 years since Vaughan first stepped onto this campus. For those at the school during the time, it might’ve been hard to imagine that in just those 12 years, this fresh teacher from a small Christian school would eventually become a cornerstone of the Marksmen experience, but that’s exactly what Vaughan has done.
As a result of her years of dedication to the school, Vaughan has been named the Victor F. White Master Teaching Chair in the English department.
In her 12 years of teaching, Vaughan has taught a dozen different English classes, received the John H. Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award, earned a PhD while simultaneously teaching at St. Mark’s and served as not only a mentor and colleague but also an inspiration and genuine person who shows up to school every day with an authentic attitude and a sanguine smile.
Short to say: Vaughan’s impact here cannot be understated.
This position is the latest of the string of leadership roles that Vaughan has taken up, some of which include being the Senior Class Sponsor for the Class of ‘24 and the Secretary of The Cum Laude Society to name a few.
“I’ve always sought out leadership positions because I feel like it’s something I do well,” Vaughan said. “Everybody around here has leadership roles, and we all do a whole lot to keep this ship running. We find the things that we’re passionate about and (help) lead and contribute in those areas.”
Vaughan largely credits her high school Humanities teacher with inspiring her to pursue teaching. Vaughan believes that he not only influenced her development as a person but also motivated her to impact others in the same way that he impacted her.
“I think in the back of my mind I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher because some of my most impactful mentors were teachers,” Vaughan said. “I respected them a lot and I knew that I directly owed the kind of person I was to (them), particularly my Junior-level Humanities teacher. The way that he looked at the world was really different, and he was just really instrumental in shaping the person I was.”
More than simply just an educator who gets the lesson across, Vaughan aims to serve as a facilitator in every student’s journey on their path to becoming a good man.
“It’s the motivation to have the students be the best versions of themselves,” Vaughan said. “Of course, we teach English, literature and grammar, but more importantly we encourage boys to become good men, to become good people. Ultimately, the most important thing we do is teach (students) to be responsible, decent human beings.”
Although Vaughan has earned the Master Teaching Chair position through years of hard work and dedication to the school, she believes that her success and the school’s success are the results of those who offer their support when times get tough and give every day meaning.
“We’re just part of a whole,” Vaughan said. “It’s like a puzzle piece. It’s lovely to feel like you played a part in somebody’s journey, but it takes a village, as they say.”
