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Former Canfield teacher honored by past student
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COSTELLO
By EMILY GIANETTI
When David Costello retired from his teaching position after 35 years at Canfield High School at the end of the 2011 school year, he never thought he would be called back to receive an honor for his years of hard work.
Costello was recently honored by Stanford’s Teacher Tribute Initiative, a recognition program meant to “acknowledge a former teacher who plays a significant role in the development of a student.”
All incoming freshmen at Stanford are allowed to nominate a teacher and Canfield alum Arthur Brant chose Costello.
Because of Brant’s decision, two letters were sent to Canfield High School and Costello was invited to a faculty meeting where they were read aloud.
“I said, ‘Why would I want to come to a faculty meeting?’” stated Costello. “But it was just a nice way to honor a teacher.”
He received one letter from Brant and one from the university itself.
Costello believes the most important element of teaching is opening the student’s mind, something Brant mentioned in his letter.
“He talked about how I’d opened his eyes and challenged his mind. It’s about letting someone see the whole 360.”
Costello now works part-time at Youngstown State University supervising student teachers. He also runs a home improvement business and plans to work as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity some time in the near future.
He compared his current position to that of a high school student.
“I’m in a place where I’m just going to go out and sample a lot of different things and see what sticks. I’m exploring my opportunities.”
After being honored for his work back at his old stomping grounds, Costello got nostalgic.
“Leaving home, you know, you miss it, you miss home,” he said of the school. “It’s just the sense that it was a part of me.”