Elgin Middle School says farewell to future representative

LAWTON, OK (RNN Texoma) - An emotional farewell for an Elgin teacher on Tuesday as Toni Hasenbeck resigned to take on her new role as a state representative.

It was a surprise farewell for Hasenbeck, who was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives last week. One of her fellow teachers said she needed to see her in a different building and when they returned, every single 7th and 8th grade student was lining the halls of the school with signs wishing her luck.

Future District 65 Representative, and former Elgin Middle School teacher, Toni Hasenbeck said the surprise was one that, quite frankly, she was not emotionally prepared to handle.

"I’m not allowed to be a teacher anymore for a while. I did not think the sadness would set in as rapidly and deeply as it has today,” Hasenbeck said.

Students lined the halls with handmade signs as Hasenbeck made her way through the building, stopping to high five and hug teachers and students.

"Sometimes I wonder if the kids understand my point of view. I want them to survive in a very tough world. Sometimes in my classroom I set a very high expectation for their behavior and their work ethic. Some kids don’t understand some kids really do understand. Probably the ones I hugged the hardest were the ones who didn’t understand at first but then eventually learned that my method is to make them be a strong member of our society,” Hasenbeck said.

That teaching style is what Elgin student Jessica Diley said she believes will make her successful in her next chapter.

"She has a really different personality. Her room and her idea of teaching and her style is very different form everyone else. I feel like that will be something good in the capitol to have a different personality and change things up a bit,” Diley said.

Tuesday was Hasenbeck’s last day at Elgin Middle School and as she leaves, students and staff agree things will not be the same.

"Definitely can’t replace Toni Hasenbeck. But she has meant the world to so many of us here at Elgin, as well as the students, I think you’re going to see that as you walk through the hallway and follow her as she walks through. I think you’ll see the impact she’s had here at Elgin,” said Elgin math teacher Melissa Diley.

Hasenbeck will be officially sworn in on Thursday and said she will miss a lot about her time teaching.

"My very close-knit group of friends that already threw one party for me today, there was a big cake, they had a big cake. That’s who I’m going to miss the most. I’m also going to miss that special moment in your class when you get to observe a child understanding something for the first time and then get to observe them never forgetting it. That’s a unique aspect to our profession,” Hasenbeck said.

Hasenbeck said she’s excited to get to work up at the capitol and said the farewell served as a great reminder that there are a lot of people depending on our legislators to do a good job.

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