Some teachers bring subjects to life. Others go further, helping students discover whole new ways of seeing themselves and the world. For Gretchen Weiss, a veteran educator at Macomb Middle School, the stage is both literal and symbolic—a place where young people learn not only about reading, writing, and performance, but also about empathy, community, and the courage to be themselves.

Now in her 26th year in education, Gretchen wears many hats. She is the special education team leader, guiding students through essential reading and language arts, but she is also the founder of the school’s first-ever Thespians troupe. Through fall plays, spring one-act festivals, and year-round enrichment, Gretchen has built something far larger than a theater program. She has created a safe zone, a space where vulnerability becomes strength and students discover the joy of working together to create something greater than themselves.

Her own love for education began early. “For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher,” she recalls. Growing up in Decatur and later coming to Western Illinois University, Gretchen found herself drawn into the cultural heartbeat of a college town. Theater, which began as an ensemble experience in high school musicals, blossomed into a lifelong passion for the arts and for the community they build.

That sense of community defines her work. “The through line of what I get to do is creating community,” Gretchen explains. She sees theater as an essential place where students can explore identity, learn empathy, and build connections that transcend the stage. For her, every script, every character, every curtain call is a chance for students to look at life through a new lens—and in doing so, to understand themselves and others more fully.

The rewards come not only in the classroom, but also in moments beyond it. At Macomb’s annual Heritage Days, Gretchen often runs into former students, now grown, who eagerly share updates about their lives. These reunions—between corn dogs and lemonade shake-ups—remind her that teaching is a lifelong ripple. “It’s really awesome to see kids who are excited to see you and share everything they’ve accomplished in the last year,” she says. She knows, humbly, that she has been part of those stories, even if she never seeks the spotlight for herself.

What stands out most in Gretchen’s work is her belief that theater and education are, at their core, about connection. Whether guiding a struggling reader through a text or coaching a nervous student to step into character on stage, her focus is the same: to create a community where every student feels seen, valued, and capable of growth.

It is a philosophy that resonates well beyond the school walls. “If you have people that are able to view life through different lenses than the ones they’d normally be fitted to,” Gretchen notes, “they uncover veins of empathy they may not have known they had.” That empathy, she believes, is what strengthens not only schools but entire communities.

Macomb is richer for Gretchen’s presence. She may not have been born a “Macombie homie,” as she jokes, but after three decades, the community is undeniably part of her, and she of it. Through her teaching, leadership, and devotion to the arts, she has helped countless students discover talents, friendships, and confidence that will last long after the applause fades.

For Gretchen Weiss, the classroom and the stage are one and the same: places where students learn that their voices matter, their stories count, and their community is stronger when they bring their full selves into it