By: Abe Wolf 

     If you are walking down towards the old history wing in the G hallway of Eisenhower Middle/High School, it is hard to miss her. She may be on the shorter end of the spectrum, but if you spot the red hair, the high cadence, clicking heels, and a voice asking how you are doing, you know you have come across Ms. Ludwig. 

     G111, once the room of Spanish teacher, Mr. Leonhardt, is now filled with the presence of English Language Arts and teaching veteran, Ms. Ludwig. The room is the same setup as what Leonhardt’s used to be, but now it has new décor and posters personalized to the passion for literature of Ludwig. It has a perfect view of the football field that she loves watching over during the Eisenhower Knights’ football season, where she will more than likely continue to be during Fridays in the fall, even after her teaching years are over.  

     Ludwig was very willing to sit down and talk about her teaching career, some of her favorite things, and what she plans to do after retirement. 

     As an English teacher, she has come across many books within the teaching curriculum. However, the one book she stated that she loves the most from the curriculum is The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. She said it is “one of my favorite all-time books ever. It is a book about redemption and love.” 

     The Kite Runner satisfies her because it leads to great moments in teaching for her. The “Ah-ha” moments, also known as lightbulb moments, are the reason she teaches. She loves when her students get to critically think about the content of a book and how that can turn into a life lesson for them. She greatly enjoys those days when students are highly engaged in class discussions, and it is what has kept her young and willing to continue her career. 

     Ludwig, while an English teacher, is also the advisor of the Academic Bowl team that plays other regional schools at Jamestown Community College. She acknowledges that part of it comes from “kids like you,” in reference to myself. She describes students like that as “motivated, wanting to learn, [you] love studying, [you] are involved in things, and [you] truly want to achieve higher goals.” She says that she is also a passionate Jeopardy fan, so it felt like a great fit for her. She is grateful for Dennis Webster, who ran the High School Bowl program, as it was formally called, and is happy she got the opportunity to develop a relationship with another educator like him who wants to see students shine brightly.  

     All of these things are what have kept her on her toes and continuing to be a teacher in the public school system, but, with this year being her last, she has come to terms with her departure. Ludwig is ready for her post-retirement plans, and, while she will undoubtedly shed tears when she clears her room for the final time, she knows she can continue to make a lasting impact on others. Her friend and former WCSD teacher, Mrs. Rozanski, has helped her get into the business of tourism, where she will be a travel guide for others to places around the world. She certainly wants to educate tourists in Egypt because of her knowledge of the mythology behind their culture. She will also get involved with an orphanage in Tanzania, which she plans to travel to in February 2025. 

     Eisenhower Student, Winnie Wolf, commented on Ludwig, stating that she “engaged with us academically and on a personal level because she knew how to have fun.” Wolf also noted that her favorite book that Ludwig taught was First They Killed My Father. Wolf states that Ludwig made a book filled with great emotion and pain into something the reader can sympathize with and be further engaged in and understand. 

     It is hard to ignore that Ms. Ludwig has a heart of gold. She wants nothing but the best for her students and all the people around her. It is a truly beautiful thing when somebody wants to be of service to others and to turn their lives around, and Ludwig is the embodiment of that.  

     Undoubtedly, students and staff are bound to miss her. From the celebration of success in diagramming sentences to the sarcastic humor, and from the friendly smile students and staff used to get from her old classroom in the hallway intersection to the ability to turn a frustrating moment with technology to a moment filled with humor, Eisenhower will not be the same without her.  

     Ludwig will miss her coworkers and her students as the clock winds down in her final school year. She wants everyone to know that they should not feel any hesitation to contact her if they have issues with essays, questions about choosing their careers, or simply want a familiar voice to talk with.  

     While Eisenhower will move along to the next year without her, the hole created by Ludwig’s absence will not only be immeasurably difficult to fill, but impossible to do, because she is vital to the heart of Eisenhower Middle/High School. The Squire wishes her the best and many safe travels as she starts this exciting new chapter.