As we head into the final week of the school year, there are many people who are preparing to make it the final week of their educational careers. All these people should be commended for the great work and sacrifice they have put into making the lives of our young people better.

I would like to focus on two individuals I have come to know very well over the years. Combined, they've taught for an amazing 88 years.

The first is John Hegerty. We all knew months ago that this would be the last hurrah for John in the halls of Jefferson High School.

John has been a terrific teacher of students, a very successful coach and above all, a leader for the J-Hawks for decades. John did it differently, and to the beat of his own drummer.

John didn't look to grab the headlines. He instead wanted to mold kids and make them better students and athletes.

John got in on the ground floor teaching freshmen for many years at Jefferson, making their transition to high school, which can be very harrowing, much easier and smoother.

Many parents should be grateful to John for pointing their kids in the right direction at an early age. As a coach, John was a top-notch X's and O's guy, but he was also there for the lesser-known athlete wanting to climb the ladder, as well as the stars of the team.

John put in as many, or more, hours at the sophomore and junior varsity levels than varsity group, knowing those kids deserved the same chances to reach their goals. John was honored four years ago by having the Jefferson JV Wrestling Tournament named in his honor, showing just how much he cared for those kids.

If you haven't done so already, go back and reread the great column Mark Dukes wrote about John a few weeks ago. It tells the story of a great, great man. I am very happy to say that John will be back in the booth with me this fall on football Thursday and Friday nights on KGYM. It is a great pleasure to have him on my left as my "right hand man."

The second individual who is hanging up the chalk is very similar to John Hegerty. The main difference between John and this man is that very few people knew officially this was going to be the last year for this great educator and coach.

That man is Bill Herkelman. "Herk," as he is known to everyone around Kennedy High School and Cedar Rapids, has been teaching for 52 years, having started in 1960 back in Lost Nation, Iowa. He's been at Kennedy some 32 years as a math teacher and coach for various sports.

When it was announced at the Kennedy graduation ceremony last Thursday night that "Herk" was retiring, a heartfelt moan went up to the rafters of the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. The speaker then went through the long list of accomplishments that Bill had been a part of at Kennedy High School over the years.

He spoke of his relationship with kids, how he was always thought of as one of the "favorite" teachers for almost every student at the school, no matter what their background and interests may be. He also talked of Herk's distaste for all of the modern amenities of life such as the computer, cellphones, ipads, etc., which got a big laugh out of the crowd.

At the end of the presentation there was a long standing ovation and there wasn't a dry eye in the house for a truly, truly great guy.

I am very lucky that I call both of these individuals friends. John will continue to broadcast games on 1600 AM with me as I said earlier, and "Herk" will continue to be around Kennedy athletics as an assistant baseball coach.

I am also lucky that I have gotten to receive the insight from these two individuals over the years, John as my broadcast partner and "Herk" as my baseball coach and teacher during my high school days. I'm very glad that my oldest son, Ryan, has gotten to interact with these two men as well, and to gain from their knowledge.

Ryan got to talk with John during and after the football season and also was a wrestler as a freshman in the very first Hegerty JV Duals at Jefferson. And Ryan also gets to be around Coach Herkelman day in and day out with this year's Kennedy baseball team. Hopefully he enjoys being around "Herk" as much as I did at his age.

Thanks to these two teachers and coaches, and to everyone else who is retiring in 2012.