Inspiration sometimes works both ways.

For 30 years, Virginia Montgomery taught most of the science classes at Osborne High School in Osborne, Kan., including chemistry, biology, advanced biology, and physical science.

“In my 30 years of teaching, Curtis Mick was in my top five students for academic ability and his willingness to go beyond the requirements,” says Montgomery, who retired in 2006.

He inspired her with his energy and determination to succeed.

One of her favorite memories of Mick was at an Eco-Meet competition in Kansas. One of the events was a plant scavenger hunt, where students had to comb the prairies to find examples of each plant on a list. “Curtis never walked. He ran across the hills and through the valleys,” Montgomery says.

How would she like to be remembered?

“I hope my students remember how much I loved learning, how much I loved teaching them, and how important it is to love your job,” Montgomery says.

That lesson led Curtis Mick to medicine.