“I decided to be a teacher to change one person’s life, and I gave myself this super low bar because to do that for one human being is an exponential gift that continues on,” said Anne Lewis. “I gave myself 30 years to accomplish this one goal.”

The English Department at Loy Norrix has had, for 25 years, one of the most hardcore teachers at Loy Norrix, Anne Lewis. She has a certain reputation that both scares students off and keeps them coming back year after year. 

“She was a strict teacher, but a good teacher,” said Senior Loden Kreuger

To put it simply, Bowser takes nothing from anybody. And yet, stories like the one that junior Odessa Clemente shared, keep students coming back, year after year!

“I was talking to her about reading over the summer, and she gave me book recommendations and emailed me a reading list,” said Clemente.  “She was always open to talk about the books I have been reading and friendships and everything!”

“[I] absolutely [know about my reputation] because I have cultivated it,” said Lewis. “It keeps the riff-raff out. When you sign up for English with Bowser, you know what you are getting into.”

Not only has Lewis helped her students, she has also helped her co-workers, and remains a treasured member of the English Department. 

“She, for a long time, was a building representative for the union, so one of her roles was to help teachers in any way possible,” said Brianna English, a teacher at Loy Norrix. ”She used to be the English department head, and she asked me if I was interested in the position. There wasn’t an issue until certain people wanted certain books taken out of our English Curriculum, and Lewis helped me fight that battle of censorship.”

If her goal was to change just one kid’s life, then English knows Lewis has succeeded many times over. 

“She’s left an amazing mark on so many kids,” English said, “and I hope she has an amazing retirement.” 

Lewis has been a teacher at Loy Norrix for 25 years (1 at Kalamazoo Central), but she also attended Loy Norrix as a student. 

“The classroom I teach in used to be a math classroom that I skipped regularly,” said Lewis.

However, Lewis returned to Loy Norrix 16 years later – this time as an educator. 

Lewis is determined to produce students capable of critical thinking and higher brain function. In her class, for many years, students have read classic novels such as “Moby Dick” and “The Last of the Mohicans.” Not only do they have to read them, they also must draw information about themes and relevance from the text, which creates important skills for later in life. 

As an English teacher, Lewis has quite a lot to say about books and literature and recommends three classic texts. 

“To read, ‘A Prayer for Owen Meany,’ by John Irving. I rarely teach it, but it’s the book that made me become a teacher,” said Lewis.   

”Invisible man” by Ralph Emerson and “Moby Dick” are other essential recommendations from Lewis.

To say the least, Norrix has changed a great deal since Lewis began her illustrious career. 

“There was no battle to fight, [over cell phones] so we focused on hat wearing,” said Lewis, “and now it seems so trivial.  I think it was just about respect, so we have had to adjust our paradigm as to what is respectful and what is not.” 

As Lewis departs Loy Norrix, she leaves her mark upon all the students that have passed through her doors over the course of 25 years. But there is one grave complaint, yet unaired, about her time here at Loy Norrix. 

“I’m slightly bitter about something,” said Lewis. “Mr. Aguinaga has never ever, despite me requisitioning one year after year, given me a pony.”