Max White has always been a part of West Albany, supporting the people who have attended school and worked here for the longest time. He not only taught math here, but he also coached track. Even after his time teaching, White still substitutes for many math classes and operates the scoreboard for various sports games.
The students’ appreciation for him goes very far. He not only affects the lives of the students, but also the staff.
“He was incredibly invested in all the basketball games and all the football games, and always [in the] Polar Plunge,” sophomore Payton Hall said.
To Hall, White has been there her whole life, acting as a mentor for her and her family. “He does a very good job raising awareness for lots of sports, even the ones that don’t get recognized as much.” Hall said
White tends to be there for all the activities around the school to get more students involved and participate.
“It helps me in the classroom for them to understand that I really care about them as athletes as well as students. And…it’s really fun for me,” White said. “I want to help students have confidence in their abilities,” White said.
White said, “…my senior year in college, I qualified for the Olympic trials… So I want to help students in their athletics have confidence [in knowing] that they really are that good. He now wants to turn him, not having the confidence to follow his dreams, into helping other students find the confidence to follow their passion and not give up when they think they aren’t good enough.
White is not only seen by students, but also by teachers. He subs for the math teachers, including Ashleigh Johnson, Samuel Hartman, and Marcie McArthur.
“He’s always looking at the basketball games or football games in the stands and just everywhere, he’s so visible, and kids see that, and they see how much love and how much connection he puts forth to everyone here,” math teacher Ashleigh Johnson said.
White’s devotion to the sports teams isn’t only noticed by the teachers but also by many of the coaches. He always has a positive thing to say to all athletes during or before a game. “My go-to sentence, [would be] keep up the good work,” White said.
“What effect do you think you have on students when you participate in sports and activities that get a lot of students to do it as well. I think it helps me in the classroom for them to understand that I really care about them as athletes as well as students. And, it’s really fun for me. Like in basketball, every time they substitute in the game, I’ll wish them well. So I think it’s a positive for them. I always try to be positive.”
