In a sunlit room filled with miniature chairs, half-finished cardboard projects, and colorful reading posters, Linda Garvey surveys a stack of stars messily cut from paper on a nearby desk. The rainbow rug and overwhelming enthusiasm were once the first school experience of some class of 2016 graduates.

For these students, Garvey was their kindergarten teacher at Rita E. Miller Elementary School. But as they graduate this spring, she is graduating with them — from 37 years of teaching into retirement.

Garvey began teaching in Westford 31 years ago, in the home economics department at Norman E. Day School. When budget cuts were made she went to Miller and taught younger children like she had always wanted to do. She is the only remaining kindergarten teacher from Miller’s founding 14 years ago, and she has seen generations of students pass through her class into adolescence and then adulthood.

“I see [past students] a lot of times […] I see them around town, and sometimes they will come say hello or their parents will come say hello,” she said. “Sometimes I’ll have students whose parents were students of mine.”‘

Garvey finds herself lucky to have taught in a town like Westford for so long, where the children are eager and the parents care about the children as well as their education. She also appreciates the support she receives from her colleagues at Miller.

“It’s been a pleasure to teach in Westford. I’m so supported here. I’m supported by [my assistant] Mrs. Yuan, [the vice principal] Mr. Sardella. It’s been such a wonderful experience with such a great community,” she said.

Dealing with the youngest school-age children, Garvey reflects that they seem to suck up information and are truly passionate about learning at that age.

“I just love kindergartners. They’re fresh, they’re brand new,” she said. “They come in really eager to learn and they’re very happy to be at school, most of them. They’re just like sponges […] you see a lot of growth.”

She feels that these are the qualities that should be maintained into adulthood. When going out into the world, she says, it is important to maintain a positive and helpful attitude much like that of a five-year-old.

“Oh, they’re happy. Kindergartners are happy people. They come in excited about learning, they very much want to help other people. If I drop a piece of paper on the floor I have six people diving for it,” Garvey said.

Garvey attributes this helpfulness to the desire of children to feel like part of a group. She feels that is her goal as a teacher: to provide a safe learning environment that also acts as a community for students. According to her, it is necessary for children to feel like part of the classroom in order to enjoy learning, no matter the age. She strives to create that environment for her students.

“I use the expression I learned from a teacher years ago saying “perbody is nurfect”. Nobody is perfect. This is a place where you can make mistakes and no one is going to criticize you for it. So that they feel like it’s a safe place to try things,” she said.

As a kindergarten teacher, she places so much importance in making sure the students love school and learning so that they can maintain that passion in the years to come.

“My goal is that they love school. Because they have to stay in school for at least another twelve years,” she said.

Garvey encourages the graduating seniors to make good use of the opportunities they have been given, telling them to value the education they have received thus far when journeying further on.

She believes Westford students are blessed with a high-quality school system, and that it is essential to not only be grateful but to give back the community that created the opportunities they have had. Garvey’s thoughts support the popular phrase “pay it forward”, or give good from the good one has received.

As for how to do this, Garvey encourages volunteering, working with children or the disabled, or working with animals as possibilities.

“I’ve always told my own children: there are two things you have to do as an adult. When you choose a job you have to choose a job that you love, and have a job that gives back,” she said. “I think everyone needs to give back to their community because much has been given to them,” Garvey said.