After 42 years in the classroom, including the past 14 at RHS, beloved art teacher Tracey Platt is retiring at the end of this month, leaving behind a lasting legacy for many young artists.

“Mrs. Platt has shaped more than clay,” Principal Jessica Baxter said. “She has shaped the lives of countless students, and she will be greatly missed at RHS.”

Before the high school, Platt taught at RMS for 13 years. Prior to Randolph, she taught at Warren Hills, ran the Gifted and Talented (GT) art program at North Hunterdon-Voorhees and was a GT teacher at Watchung Hills Elementary School.  

For her RHS art students, Platt’s legacy will live on well beyond her retirement. “Mrs. Platt gave me my love for ceramics,” senior art student Seannah Parsons said. “I had her freshman year, and she taught me the basics. It’s sad to see someone so knowledgeable and skilled leave Randolph, but I hope to continue to practice her teachings.”

When asked what life lessons she hoped to instill in her students, Platt emphasized perseverance and curiosity. “I hope that my students will find something they really love doing and try to do it the best they can. It’s important to take risks, fail and try better. Keep your eyes and your mind open.”  

Students say her passion made a lasting impression. “Mrs. Platt is a wonderful teacher,” senior Abigail Massachi said. “She always appreciates my artwork and gives me constructive criticism on how I can improve. I am sad to see her retire but happy about the impact she made in the art community at Randolph.”

One of Platt’s favorite memories from her career is the annual trip for advanced art students to Peters Valley and Sugar Maples. “It’s a meaningful part of my teaching career and a special opportunity to connect with my students,” she said.

Like many educators, Platt faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited classroom interaction forced art teachers to rethink how they taught hands-on subjects. “During COVID, students sent sketches for projects to me on Teams,” she explained. “We put the clay in a large cabinet outside for them to pickup and drop off for firing. For glazing, we gathered the colors they wanted in small containers. It was a challenge, but we made it work.”

Despite these obstacles, Platt persevered as a positive influence on students. Reflecting on her nearly half-century-long career, she recalled many memorable moments. “Some years ago, we had several pieces win awards at a national show; that was exciting,” she said. “But mostly I have a couple of wonderful friendships that are still going strong today, regardless of the time or distance.”  

Platt’s colleagues, many of whom are close friends, will also feel her absence. “I’ve worked with Mrs. Platt since 1999,” fellow art teacher Steven Coleman said. “Our art rooms have always been connected, so we have shared countless stories. We share an office, and we eat together almost every day.  It will be a huge change when she leaves.”

Platt’s love for art began early. “I was always a kid who liked to make things,” she said. “I gathered shells, made jewelry, saved little bits of things: pretty rocks, shiny things, even carved soap.”

Though she is leaving the classroom, Platt said she has no plans to stop creating. “I hope to have a working kiln wherever I end up,” she said. “Clay is my biggest passion, but I also love baking and making something out of nothing. The materials don’t really matter as much as the love you put into the doing with it.”

Platt added, “Art is really a way of life. It’s how you look at things—the clothes you wear, the food you eat and the music you sing along with.”  

As she prepares to close this chapter, Platt hopes her lessons will endure. “Take the skills you learn and find new ways to apply them,” she said. “There are many ways to do something well. If you don’t love it, do it again.”