Stories From The Vault

Stories From The Vault—a collection of memorable, insightful, and occasionally humorous teaching experiences...that may not be herd book material but still need to be shared. If enough submissions are received, I aim to feature a new story each month.We welcome story submissions from educators. Submissions can be anonymous or credited, depending on your preference. If you wish to protect privacy, please avoid using student names, school names, or other identifying details. Submit your story here: https://forms.gle/XemnyxuXPiTJpKk8A

December

“A Spark, a Scare, and a Support System: What I Learned When Everything Went Wrong”

Author: Leah Stouder, Jerome Middle School

Two weeks before the school year's end, my Intro to Welding students were finishing their welds before final assessments. The day started normally—attendance, students changing, and working at assigned stations. A student approached me to discuss their arc weld for feedback. As I was responding, I heard, "Ms. Stouder, I am on fire!" I paused, turned around, and saw flames on the student—not the torch. I immediately grabbed the water hose, turned it on, and extinguished the fire. I quickly pulled the student out, had the class turn everything off, and told them to stay in the classroom until the bus arrived.

I found a shirt for the student, called their parents to meet us at the shop, and informed the school. I contacted the fire department, which examined the burns and advised that the student go to the hospital. Once the parent and fire personnel arrived, we agreed they needed immediate medical attention. The student left, and I returned to the high school to speak with the administrator, as my principal was absent. Overwhelmed, I broke down in tears while filling out the accident report, fearing I’d be sued or fired—being a first-year teacher made it overwhelming.

My CTE director covered my classes that day and advised me to rest and remember that accidents happen. This was the scariest moment of my teaching career, but I received incredible support from fellow Ag teachers across the state. They reassured me that such incidents happen and I’m still a good teacher. The next school year, the student recovered, makes jokes about the incident, and continues taking Ag classes. Though I was terrified to teach welding again, their support kept me going, preventing me from quitting the subject altogether.