RAPID CITY, SD – After more than four decades in the classroom, West Middle School teacher Lori Ruthford is preparing to retire, leaving behind a legacy shaped by relationships, resilience and a deep passion for education.

Ruthford has spent 41 years teaching eighth grade English in the same building, a milestone that few educators reach. As she looks ahead to retirement, she says the transition will be bittersweet.

“It is going to be weird,” Ruthford said. “We’ve already started planning things so I don’t feel like I’m missing out when school starts again.”

Her journey into teaching began early. As a child, Ruthford would line up her dolls and pretend to be a teacher, creating worksheets and mimicking the classroom environment she loved.

“I’m one of those strange people that knew from a really young age that I wanted to be a teacher,” she said.

Over the years, she has witnessed major changes in education, from the rise of technology to shifts in student behavior. While access to information has improved, she says new challenges have emerged in the classroom.

“In the last few years, I feel like kids are just so much more disrespectful,” Ruthford said. “It’s not just school. It’s a reflection of society.”

Despite those challenges, she says the relationships built with students have always been the most rewarding part of her career.

“I can run into people in the store and they’ll say, ‘Do you remember me?’” she said. “And then you find out years later the impact you had. That’s really special.”

One of her favorite memories includes a project pairing eighth graders with first grade students to write and illustrate books together.

“To see those older kids connecting with their little buddies, holding hands and giving piggyback rides, it just made everything worth it,” she said.

Ruthford believes the most important role of a teacher goes beyond academics.

“I think students need to feel like they’re valued and that their opinions matter,” she said. “If they feel safe and respected, they’re going to learn.”

As she prepares to step away from the classroom, Ruthford says she is most grateful for the memories and the people she’s encountered along the way.

“I know that I’m making a difference,” she said.

Her message is simple but powerful: strong public schools matter, and every student deserves access to a quality education.

“I truly believe that everybody deserves to have an excellent education,” Ruthford said.