Our Wildwood, Volume 51

GIVING VOICE A conversation between community members

Becca Hedgepath, Middle School Humanities Rachel Hedgepath ‘13, 4th Grade Teacher

When it comes to campus connections, few are as close as that of Becca and Rachel Hedgepath ‘13, who have experienced Wildwood mother-to-daughter, teacher-to student, and now colleague-to-colleague.

OWW: Let’s start with the obvious question: what’s it like to work in the same place as your mother, and vice versa?

RACHEL: She was also my 6th grade teacher back in 2006, so I feel like we’re used to occupying the same space and working with each other. That said, since I’m on the elementary campus and she’s at the middle and upper campus, it’s nice to have our own ‘territories’ in a way. It’s a treat when we get to see each other. BECCA: For me, it’s amazing. I remember when I was working on the elementary campus, walking you to kindergarten, watching you be a 1st grader—and then I moved to the middle and upper campus where I suddenly had you in 6th grade. It’s kind of a homecoming for me. BECCA: So, there’s a story…I said to her, “You’re going to have to call me Ms. H,” and she said, “No.” I countered by suggesting, “Well, how about all the other kids call me mom?”—thinking that there’s no way she would go for that. To my surprise, she said “OK!” So, I made the mistake of telling all the 6th graders that year that they could call me mom, and that’s what they called me until the day they graduated! OWW: How was Rachel in class?

(Left to right) Middle School Humanities teacher Becca Hedgepath with daughter Rachel Hedgepath ‘13, 4th Grade teacher

OWW: Your turn—how was having your mother as a teacher?

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