CY Middle School’s Destination Imagination classroom recently transformed into a vibrant and festive Santa’s Workshop. This delightful event is led by the creative efforts of Richard Martin, a dedicated NCSD substitute teacher who is known by students and staff alike as “Santa Sub.” A substitute in the district for the last 19 years, he earned his cheerful reputation four years ago when he initiated an annual holiday tradition of creating unique, handmade decorations for the school staff. Inspired by his travels, Mr. Martin crafted a personalized wooden snowman for each staff member the first year, bringing joy with each delivery. “I see things when we are traveling, and it gives me inspiration for the gifts. The first snowmen were made out of logs I had in my woodpile, inspired by similar ceramic snowmen I saw in Germany.”
This year, “Santa Sub” wanted to share holiday cheer throughout the school, involving students and staff in the creation process. With the help of Destination Imagination teacher Desiree Riley, the CY Santa Workshop began. Mr. Martin created the base for this year’s decorations, a green metal Christmas tree, and then provided all the materials needed so each staff member could design their decoration just how they liked. Destination Imagination students have been eager to be part of the magic and frequently assisted in decorating trees for staff members. CYMS’s exceptional cooking classes joined in on the fun by baking delicious cookies for everyone to enjoy while they worked on their trees!
Grateful for the opportunity to be part of the school community, Mr. Martin finds joy in each day he gets to spend teaching, learning, and sharing kindness with others. “I love the variety in each day. I never seem to be doing the same thing from one day to the next, and it may even change throughout the day. I may teach 8th grade PE in one class period, then 6th grade math, then 7th grade cooking. As a sub, you can get some satisfaction from a job well done, and it is great for flexibility if you like to travel and have other hobbies.”
Thank you, Mr. Martin, for sharing your time, talents, and holiday spirit!