Upper School history teacher Stacey Savin steps away from Kingswood Oxford after teaching here for 23 years.
Early on in life, Ms. Savin said she loved the idea of becoming a lawyer, knowing she could truly make a difference in the real world. At the same time, Ms. Savin said she found joy in publishing flashcards that had wonderful images and information about the American West, U.S. presidents, and their first ladies.
This all began when Ms. Savin took a trip to Europe and saw cards at numerous heritage sites with the faces of past kings and queens of England on them. “I got in touch with these people [who] printed in England and I said, why don’t we do one in the United States?” she explained. “So I published these cards and I sold them here at the exact same places they sold there, which is to say national parks, historic sites, and the White House Visitor Center.”
According to Ms. Savin, it was very difficult at first to get the rights to use certain images; however, Ms. Savin said even with its challenges, she truly loved doing this job. She was able to sell a pack of flashcards for about seven dollars while balancing her responsibilities as a mother. “This opportunity allowed me to meet so many new people and sell flashcards to the president of Yale University and teachers all around the country,” she said. Ms. Savin explained that unfortunately, after 10 years, it was time to step away from this profession because it was ultimately difficult to rely on.
After having two sons, Ms. Savin said she realized the impact she had on younger children and teenagers and began to think about the idea of teaching as a career. Furthermore, one of her sisters was an English teacher at the time, and Ms. Savin said she was inspired to follow in her footsteps after seeing how fun and enjoyable her job really was. “I realized that I really would love to do what my sister did, and I couldn’t think of any better thing to do,” Ms. Savin said.
During her first year at KO, Ms. Savin taught a course on ancient history which was called Heritage of Mankind as well as AP U.S. History. Over time, she had the opportunity to create new electives, some of which are still taught and well-loved by students today. These courses have consisted of American Law, The Italian Renaissance, Humanism and The Italian Renaissance, International Human Rights (which focused on the Holocaust), and Election 2020.
Ms. Savin spoke about her favorite course to teach. “The law course is just fantastic and fun when you are, in fact, a lawyer and you’re actually not having to be in the real world, but you can still have the whole experience of it,” she said. She further continued that it stems from her love for the law when she was younger, and she said she finds it hard to imagine never having that experience. “It’s the best education I ever got, and it’s very practical information,” she stated.
A big part of Ms. Savin’s work has been taking students on trips to different countries around the world in June. Some places Ms. Savin has visited while at KO have been Russia, Portugal, London, Budapest, Prague, Spain, and Italy. “The kids have a thrill, so teaching and travelling with them is fulfilling,” Ms. Savin added. “I mean, what’s not to love? The art, the food, the beauty, the architecture, and the history.”
After spending so many years at KO and teaching countless students, Ms. Savin said she hopes that every one of them will remember how enjoyable and fun her classes were. In addition to this, she said she would like to leave all students with a piece of advice for their future. “Open your mind to the possibilities and don’t be so sure you know everything,” Ms. Savin said.
In the upcoming months, Ms. Savin said she plans on continuing her love for travelling through her new company, Stacey Savin Tours, which she opened in 2023, leading adult trips to new countries. Although Kingswood Oxford is sad to see Ms. Savin leave after so many years, we all appreciate her and her vibrant energy, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors!
