Ferguson High student credits career-technical classes and a teacher for turning around his school experience

Finn Richter, a student at Ferguson High School, told attendees he had been disengaged from school for years before enrolling in career-technical programs and finding support from a teacher. “I was having constant, like, panic attacks at school and stuff, and I was constantly getting into trouble,” Richter said, describing the challenges that left him ready to leave traditional high school.

Richter said he applied to the alternative program at his mother’s suggestion and that it became his last option. “This was my last option, and I love it here,” he said, crediting hands-on classes and a teacher who helped him see his own progress. He singled out a teacher identified only as Judy, saying she sat down with him in math and helped him realize he was doing the work correctly.

He described the range of classes and extracurricular activities that now occupy his time: psychology and chemistry coursework, welding at Thompson Valley, and manufacturing at TCC, plus earlier participation in the marching band at Lippmann High School, which he said helped him form friendships.

Richter framed his remarks as advice to other students, urging them not to let negative opinions derail their progress. “Don’t let anyone tell you different. Be yourself. Be your own person and be the person that like supports yourself the most,” he said.

The remarks offer a first-person account of how hands-on technical programs and individualized teacher support can affect a student’s engagement and confidence. No formal action or response is recorded in the transcript.