Pink ribbons have sprung up all over campus in remembrance of Ms. Leigh Wilson, former tenth and eleventh grade English teacher, who passed away on December 31, 2010.

A large portion of the Norfolk Collegiate family gathered with close friends and relatives of Ms. Wilson at her funeral on January 7, 2011, at St. Nicholas Catholic Church. Tears were shed as Mrs. Judy Davis, NCS English department chair, touched each student and teacher with her reflection on Ms. Wilson’s impact on the NCS community.

Mrs. Davis quoted “A Psalm of Life,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Not only was this one of Ms. Wilson’s favorite poems, but it was also one of the last poems she taught to the juniors. “The whole thing was really moving and emotional because the poem really put into words what Ms. Wilson would have wanted for each one of us,” junior Hollis Hubbard said. 

When Norfolk Collegiate students first learned of Ms. Wilson’s death, they wrote emotionally touching letters to her parents, which were assembled in a binder and displayed at the funeral.

Since then, there have been a series of remembrances for Ms. Wilson.

On January 19, 2010, the wrestling team wore pink socks, the Bake Club sold baked goods and pink shirts were all over the Norfolk Collegiate stands in the Watt-Baker gym. “I thought it was great that we could all come together as a community, support the wrestling team and recognize a good person,” said senior Connor Owens, a member of the wrestling team.

On February 7, 2011, the Norfolk Collegiate School Chorus sang Eliza Gilkyson’s “Requiem” in honor of Ms. Wilson. “It’s a beautiful song. After I heard it, I just thought ‘Hey, this would be a beautiful song to sing in tribute of Ms. Wilson,’” Mr. Hurst said.

    
“I really liked the song. I thought it was the best one we did all year because we were actually singing it for someone. It was really beautiful,” said junior Laura McCarthy.

The varsity girls basketball team warmed up in pink t-shirts on February 8, which was also their senior night. “Ms. Wilson was such a good person. This is like our chance to make a statement about breast cancer,” senior JaKaylah Joyner said.

NCS was emotionally touched by the passing of Ms. Wilson. “She was definitely a fighter,” Koren Okpodu said. “She was always there to give us a good laugh or to help us with whatever we needed. She was what every teacher should aspire to be like.”

Norfolk Collegiate students were already fighting breast cancer by participating in the annual fashion show, taking part in local walks and runs and selling baked goods. But now, with the death of Ms. Wilson, students are even more aware.

“The death of Ms. Wilson has opened our eyes to how we can help eliminate breast cancer in our own communities,” Alexis White said.