Westfield High School students line up with a pile of clothes placed on the ground, and time starts.
Students move through each drill, donning fire gear from helmets to jackets. On the back of the worn jackets are fading but legible names.Westfield Fire meets demand:Donations of fire gear, including jackets, boots, helmets, tools and respirators, have helped Fire Rescue 1, a firefighting course, cement its place in Westfield High School’s career classes this school year, the first time it's been offered.
And his students, nine high school boys from sophomores to graduating seniors, do respect him. Junior Jayden Dehwe and others shared that King is one of the only teachers who has instilled this greeting lesson into them.“It's not just a 'sit down and write on paper' work,” Dehwe said. “This is hands on and get involved.”
Dehwe plans to attend college and pursue his dream of being a voice actor. Still, Dehwe and other students will walk away from the class with certifications, and hopefully, a passed Fire 1 state test. His dad “really likes it, but he's also the type of person to not push me to do what he wants to do,” Moore said.