ALL ABOARD! A Retiring Teacher’s Dream Trip with her Students After more than 30 years of teaching, Ruth Brown, a beloved educator at John Wise Public School, retired on December 21, 2024. Her departure marks the end of a remarkable career dedicated to teaching young minds, primarily in kindergarten. As her final gift to her students, Ruth brought to life a magical experience inspired by a story that has been dear to her heart throughout her career: The Polar Express . “I’ve read The Polar Express to hundreds of children over the years,” Ruth shares. “Every Christmas, I’d put on my conductor’s hat and read the story, bell in hand. The kids loved it, and so did I. When I started thinking about retirement, I thought, wouldn’t it be amazing to turn this story into reality?” Ruth’s dream came true this December, as five kindergarten and three Grade 1 classes from John Wise Public School, along with five classes from June Rose Callwood Public School, embarked on a Polar Express-themed journey aboard the Port Stanley Terminal Rail (PSTR). Over two days, 270 children experienced the magic of riding a train, many for the first time, in what Ruth described as the culmination of years of imagination and planning.
thrilled to meet Santa and receive their first gift of Christmas — a silver bell engraved with the word Believe.”
The journey began right outside John Wise Public School, where the train made a special stop. Ruth, wearing her conductor’s hat, greeted the children and punched their golden tickets as they boarded. “Seeing the train pull up outside the kindergarten yard was a dream come true,” she said. “The excitement on the kids’ faces was priceless.” The train ride to Port Stanley was filled with festive cheer. Ruth took the microphone to lead sing-alongs, share highlights of the journey, and call out children by name. Along the tracks, foil balloons shaped like woodland animals added an ‘I Spy’ element to the trip. The destination, at the Port Stanley station had been transformed into the North Pole, complete with Santa and Mrs. Claus running out to greet the train amidst the sound of the horn. “It was magical,” Ruth recalls. “The children were
Page 8 Hometown St. Thomas • Jan-Feb 2025
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