Whether it is in the classroom with his students, on the diamond with his athletes, or in a club meeting with his club members, one member of the staff has an impact on a wide array of students at Revere High School (RHS). Steve Wido creates a positive impact on the culture and influences all of the students in the school; his efforts in and out of the classroom have allowed many student athletes to flourish.
Steve Wido, math teacher, baseball coach and club adviser, creates a positive impact in the district through his various efforts to better the student body.
Wido teaches several math classes which allows him to reach a large number of students in the building.
“I’ve bounced around between teaching Geometry, Algebra I and II, Trigonometry, Statistics, really all over. . . . I like getting to work with some of our younger students as they transition into high school and helping them get on the right track,” Wido said.
The challenges and changes that many high school students go through motivated Wido to become a teacher. He hopes to guide his student athletes through their packed high school journey.
“In high school, everything is happening . . . navigating your own path is such a unique thing, and I think our kids at Revere are more talented than they know, and it’s just helping guide them,” Wido said.
Outside of the classroom, Wido is also an assistant baseball coach. He said the balance of those two responsibilities is difficult, but manageable nevertheless.
“It gets tough, but I always look at coaching as just teaching; it’s just a different avenue. Our kids really want to do well, it’s using your expertise to guide them,” he said.
Wido’s ability to balance his responsibilities as a teacher and coach gives him the opportunity to teach important lessons to his student athletes. Among many things, he preaches the phrase “feel.” He is always looking to teach kids how to feel what is appropriate, and to use their judgment.
“In our baseball program we preach feel, being able to walk into a room and have the self-awareness to know what is appropriate, and how to leave it better than you found it,” Wido said.
Wido also hopes to show his baseball players how to be good people. Another way he sets examples for the student is through the R Leadership Club, which is a club that brings in alumni speakers and hosts tailgates.. Wido hopes the club can instill a stronger sense of culture into the district’s various athletic programs.
“I want a long-lasting impact of what it means to be a letter-winner at Revere, and that should mean something,” Wido said.
The R Leadership Club has several ways to raise the school spirit among athletics including alumni speakers and tailgating, and they are also testing a sports psychology program. Wido said that the speakers have taught members many aspects of becoming a college athlete, while the tailgates bring more energy to student sections.
“We had almost one hundred kids show up for the football [tailgate], and I think it was a nice add-on to the student section,” Wido said.
Wido said that he hopes the club can solidify what he sees to be a very strong community in the district.
“Revere is truly a tight community . . . I want to formalize that feeling. . . . When you have that togetherness, it just makes school fun,” Wido said.
Wido’s appreciation for the district’s community is what keeps him present and engaged in the lives of the Minutemen.
“I’ll never leave, this place is awesome. We have talented kids that want to do well,” Wido said.
One of the many student athletes that Wido impacts is Junior Geoffrey Siess. Siess is a baseball player and board member of the R Leadership Club.
“He’s always been a coach and a mentor I look up to,” Siess said.
Siess said that Wido has taught him more than just becoming a better player; hehas taught him how to become a good person. Wido teaches student athletes about positive culture and intersport camaraderie.
“I definitely see him making an impact on not only baseball, but also all the other sports,” Siess said.
Wido’s impact on Siess and others helps them achieve their goals in not only sports, but in life. Another student athlete who Wido has greatly impacted is Sophomore Anden Bender who has known Wido from a young age from batting lessons. Bender said that Wido’s guidance and honesty have impacted him.
“He’s been a mentor for me, and he always shoots people straight, he’s going to be the first one to tell you if you did something good or bad. He’s always honest and easy to talk to,” Bender said.
The R Leadership Club impacted Bender through the alumni speakers. Him and several others have learned from their presentations about the journey through college sports.
“I really enjoy [the club], he brings in a lot of good speakers and they tell us their high school journeys of getting recruited, and also how to deal with certain aspects of student athlete lives,” Bender said.
Outside of the club, Bender sees many kids seek out Wido for guidance.
“I see a lot of kids go talk to him, he’s an amazing dude, and a lot of kids love him,” Bender said.
Wido’s positive influence has reached many student athletes of Revere. Through his teaching, coaching and club, Wido is guiding youth towards being people who uplift the community around them.