BANGOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- William Ames has been an educator for 40 years, 29 of them at Bangor High School, where he now co-chairs the geography department and teaches geography.
"One thing that's never changed for me is education is not just a profession. It's a vocation and still remains so today... I love it," He says.
He's at ease in front of the classroom on a cold February day, as he reminds students that some pending snowstorms may force some adjustments to their weekly schedule.
"(He's) Very wise he always knows how to give good advice he's very smart very helpful he really cares about his students," explains one of his students, Paige Cadorette, who also has Mr. Ames as an advisor for Key Club and National Honor Society. For Mr. Ames, the best part about the job is the ability it gives him to connect with generation after generation of young people.
"An educator, especially at the high school level, is constantly able to interact with younger generations will bring new ideas and new potential solutions to the same problems that we have had and that's a very rare thing that you are really able to work in a profession that spans so many generations," he said.
He's made an impact on many students over the years.
"Kids change over the generations and over the decades but in many ways they don't most of our students are inquisitive they want to learn new things it's wonderful to be able to see them go from being a 14-year-old person who says I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up to being a senior and saying I really want to do whatever it is they want to do and they see it as a commitment they've made," he said.