Over the next several weeks, Lapeer Community Schools will pay tribute to many of the Unsung Heroes of the Pandemic. These are the employees who have been singled out by their colleagues for going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure we could keep our schools open for face-to-face instruction. Each Unsung Hero will receive a gift certificate courtesy of our friends at Meijer in Lapeer.

Every hallway needs a handyman. At Lapeer High School, the occupants of the ‘L’ and ‘M’ are grateful for their man-on-the-spot, Cory Gutenschwager.

Cory has taught many different industrial arts courses at LHS over the years; this school year, however, he spent an inordinate amount of time training his colleagues on using different types of tools.

“Cory has been invaluable to so many of us at this end of the high school,” one colleague said. “He has helped us with all of the new technology that we’ve been thrown into this year.”

Cory helped many of his colleagues navigate the technological gauntlet of remote learning: Google Classroom, Zoom, Sign-Up Genius, SPAT and YouTube.

“That’s a lot for some of us ‘seasoned’ teachers that have never used these tools before. We never thought that we would be using and relying on them to teach our students,” his colleague added.

Another one of his colleagues, who just started at LHS in the fall, said he stops by regularly to offer assistance.

“I don’t know what I would have done without his support this year.”

This was not Cory’s job, but he saw a need and helped fill it. This, perhaps more than anything, is the reason our schools have been able to stay afloat during the Pandemic: A collective effort led by people like Cory.

“As teachers were scrambling to figure out new programs, Cory always was there to lend a helping hand,” another colleague said.  

Beyond his technical skills, Cory has another talent: he knows how to explain things without making people feel stupid. He has patience and understanding that come in handy during times of crisis.

“When the school year started, he was constantly helping me and many other staff members,” another colleague said. “He does this during his conference period, before and after school, whenever we need to learn something, he is there for us.”

To Mr. G and all our problem solvers, we say thank you on behalf of our entire school community.