WAYLAND HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER KEVIN DELANEY TO RETIRE
By Kate Jenney
Kevin Delaney, history teacher extraordinaire, will be retiring this June after teaching in Wayland for 29 years. I came to know Kevin as liaison for the Wayland Historical Society and the high school regarding the annual gifts from the Society to a deserving Wayland high school senior who has demonstrated an abiding interest in United States history and has made significant contributions to the high school and the community. Also, a book award is awarded to a junior who has shown an inquisitive and innovative approach to the study of history. These gifts are presented at the yearly awards ceremony. Candidates are chosen by the awards committee at the high school. This will be the 7th consecutive year for the awards.
Kevin has a long relationship with the WHS beginning shortly after he came to Wayland in 1992. In 2001, he initiated the Wayland High School History Project. He guided his students’ research projects resulting in 13 volumes. Each venture took 2 years to research and develop. These projects are available at Wayland Public Schools History Project. I guarantee you will enjoy these stories and get to know how national and world events affected the citizens of our town and how many not only contributed, but some gave their lives for the betterment of our country and town.
Among Kevin’s many accolades, he was Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year in 2014, and the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution awarded him their U.S. History Teacher of the Year in 2016. He was presented with the New England History Teachers Association Kidger Award for excellence in teaching, research and writing, and service to the profession in 2017.
The time has come to say good bye to Kevin Delaney. We want him to know that all he has done for Wayland students and the community is not unrecognized. He was a pied piper of truth; teaching us the importance of history. He partnered with the WHS to enrich his students and all of us as we participated and learned from him as well. His piping will echo into the future. A simple thank you seems so inadequate, but thank you is the best way we have of thanking him for all he has done for all of us.