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Students honor former staff member’s wish for son

August . . . always in our hearts

November 09, 2018

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Several Wahoo High School students and staff participated in a project to honor the memory of August Didier, the child of former Wahoo Public Schools Spanish Teacher Cass Didier.

August died one year ago, and was remembered in a project led by juniors Kendal Brigham and Paige Peterson.

October was Pregnancy, Infant, and Child Loss Awareness Month. The two juniors wanted Mrs. Didier and her husband to know that parents who have lost a child are supported in their grief.  

In an effort to share the love that they had for their son, Mrs. Didier recently posted the following message on social media.

    “It’s November and I so wish we were planning a 1st birthday party while reminiscing on a year of adventures with our
     favorite little guy, August. Showing August the world was what I looked forward to most. I saw a super cool idea (from
     another mom) and I wanted to give it a go. If you find yourself in a fun location this month, could you write August’s name
     and take a picture? You can write his name with leaves, sticks, in the sand or snow, on paper - anything! You can also use
     nicknames: Gus, Aug, Auggie, even the number 8. I’m excited to see all the adventures he will be a part of in his own
     special way."

On Thursday, before the Wahoo High School volleyball team loaded the bus and headed to their opening round state tournament match, the team, staff members and students gathered in the gymnasium. Adorned with Post-It notes of encouragement and messages of support, the group fulfilled Mrs. Didier’s wish by posing around a sign created by Brigham and Peterson. The pictures of the event were later posted to Twitter by Brigham.

Junior Trey Scheef was one student who participated in the event. When asked why he joined the event, he said, “she was my Spanish teacher in middle school and high school. She was a great teacher.”

Senior Emma Thrasher supported the effort as well. Her Post-It note honored August and let him know that she is looking forward to seeing him some day.

School counselor John Harris was proud of the students for their efforts to make this project happen.

“To demonstrate selfless leadership and think of others at a time when those student-athletes were preparing to defend a state volleyball title is a clear testament to their character,” Harris commented.

WHS juniors Paige Peterson and Kendal Brigham.