Yuma teacher makes national news after student honors note written 21 years ago

A teacher from Yuma has made a huge impact on her students by encouraging and inspiring them. Now, she’s making national headlines.

In 1997, Judy Toensing left a note on her student’s report card stating, “It has been a joy to have you in class. Keep up the good work! Invite me to your Harvard graduation!”

That student was Christin Gilmer, who was only 12 years old at the time she was in Mrs. Toensing’s 6th grade class.

Gilmer, who is now 33, just graduated from Harvard this week as a doctor of public health. She invited Mrs. Toensing to her graduation and said that her former teacher was the first person who encouraged her on her journey to study public health.

“She lit a fire in me that helping people is a powerful tool, and through education, you can better serve populations in need. I will never forget her passion for others,” Gilmer said. In a note she also stated, “Ms. Judy Toensing, taught me about current events, global health, and human rights. She was the first person who passionately conveyed the plight of people living with HIV/AIDS to me.”

When Gilmer was Toensing’s student, the class did a project and dreamed how recycling in the area would work over a decade prior to it finally happening. They also interviewed the mayor and wrote a 100-page advertisement.

After Harvard school administrators heard the story, they decided to honor and thank Toensing at the 2018 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s convocation.

Toensing said she was “shocked” and “humbled” when she received the invitation. “I feel honored that Harvard chose to tell Christin’s story, her journey, and that I was a small part of that journey,” Toensing told CNN.

Gilmer stated that she would, “love to return to Southern Arizona to work in health, politics, and community development.” Gilmer also added, “I wanted to learn from the best institutions in the world so that I could bring back the knowledge and skills I have obtained and share them with the communities from which I came.”

Mrs. Toensing still teaches middle school in Yuma. She now teaches both 6th and 8th grade social studies at 4th Avenue Jr. High School.