When thinking of the Lawrence High history department, David Platt’s name is almost sure to come up. 

The beloved teacher spent 30 years at LHS and spread his joy and wisdom throughout the school. This year, Platt was inducted into the LHS Hall of Honor by the school’s alumni association, following his retirement in May. Due to his influential nature, his induction is no surprise to anyone at LHS.

“My thoughts on the induction are hard to put into words,” Platt said. “I was honored to work at Lawrence High School. The experience of working in this community allowed me so many opportunities and so much growth as a person. I guess it also means that I did a decent job, which when you are in the trenches doing the work is nice to know.” 

Platt began his teaching journey in the fall of 1988, student teaching at LHS. While working at KU in the student affairs department, Platt started subbing in Lawrence High classes. He officially began teaching at Lawrence High just four years later in 1992. Through all the ups and downs, Platt has shown his true love for teaching over the years with his strong connections to the students and other faculty within the school.

“My favorite thing about Lawrence High School is the community,” he said. “The students, their families, and the fantastic teachers I worked with over the years. The community overall has a deep respect for education.”

Valuing education is a big part of why Platt was inducted into the Hall of Honor. 

“So many of the students take advantage of some of the great and different opportunities offered by the school, which can be inspiring to the teachers and other students of the school,” he said. “This school over the years has been very much a student-driven place in so many facets of its day-to-day activities and its legacy.”

According to Alumni Association’s vice president Amanda Davis, the association was “established to serve two purposes for the Alumni of Lawrence High School and Liberty Memorial High School: To award scholarships to graduating seniors, utilizing funds from donors and fundraising campaigns, and to recognize distinguished graduates of Lawrence High School and Liberty Memorial High School (and rarely, non-graduates who have served LHS and/or LMHS exceptionally well).” 

This latter category is what Platt falls into. Though Platt did not graduate from LHS, Platt impacted many students’ and teachers’ lives during his 30 years in the school. One of these students is sophomore Ruby Hull.

“It was very welcoming to have Mr. Platt for my first year, especially for my first AP class,” Hull said. “He was just a really nice guy, and he did a really good job teaching us the material and keeping us engaged.”

In many students’ eyes, Platt is more than deserving of the honor. 

“He devoted a lot of his time here and he’s worked here for 30 years,” she said. “He’s always been loved by the students and teachers, I mean he’s been teacher of the year for like a million years, so I think he deserves it because he’s so devoted and we all love him so much.”

The Alumni Association noted that Platt’s dedication and true passion for teaching earns him the title.

“David is a consummate educator who has poured his whole heart into his career affecting hundreds, if not thousands, of students at LHS for the better,” the group’s official statement read. “In fact, just by looking at him with his lion-esque mane, it is hard to not envision him as the very embodiment of Chesty the Lion, himself. And, certainly, by simply talking to him for more than a few minutes, there is no question that he, indeed, does embody the very spirit of the school with each word dripping with pride for its tradition and culture of excellence.”