Steve Seymour provides support system for students

Supportive words from a teacher can carry tremendous weight. For Meghan Corsi, hearing her English teacher and basketball coach, Steve Seymour, say that she would be great as a teacher cemented her goals. She plans to attend University of Idaho and return to Rathdrum to teach. She hopes to be the kind of teacher that Seymour was for her.

“He’s very encouraging to students and they look forward to his classes,” she said. “He knew how to get his students involved.”

Students read their writings aloud and Seymour prompts peers to clap in appreciation. Corsi believes the support she received from Seymour changed the course of her high school years. In 10th grade she left her friends in another town and relocated back to Rathdrum. It was a difficult transition, but it was made easier by the encouragement of her teacher when he included her on the school basketball squad.

“He made me feel part of the team and it turned things around,” Corsi said.

Corsi received two school Student of the Month recognitions, Rotary Student of the Month, and was named an Idaho Top Scholar and National Honor Society member.

She performed for two school choirs, attended All-State Choir, and sang the national anthem solo for the last home basketball game.

Seymour was also the motivator behind Corsi’s winning story for The Spokesman-Review outdoor writing contest last year. He prompted her to send in an essay about her first fly-fishing success. She placed in the top four of 250 entries.

“She possesses a great deal of creativity,” Seymour said. “The creative side came out in her writing and it was always delivered with great enthusiasm. She’s just a wonderful kid. I think she’ll do great things in college.”

After hearing those sentiments, no doubt she will.