Cheryl McAlister has retired after 36 years of teaching at Cowra High School.
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Mrs McAlister is well known for going above and beyond to help her students; this was reflected in the principal, Charles Gauci's farewell speech.
"Cheryl has a huge impact on students, and the quality of their education," Mr Gauci said.
"I don't believe any student has gone through one of Cheryl's classes and not walked away a better person."
Cheryl has been instrumental in the development of Aboriginal education at the school as well as developing the Aboriginal homework centre and Aboriginal dance groups while she was at the school.
"It is common now to see teachers and schools taking an interest in the culture of Aboriginal people," Mr Gauci said.
"Cheryl has been doing this for almost 40 years, and started when it was unheard of."
Cheryl spent her first year as a teacher in Bathurst, before moving to Wilcannia to teach at the state school, where she stayed for two years.
Wilcannia Central School is where she found her love and interest for Aboriginal culture and her passion to drive Aboriginal education.
Cheryl says she will miss teaching every day, but will still come back to help out when she is needed.
"At the moment there is no one who is able to take over the running of the Aboriginal Dance Group, so I will come back and do that," she said.
"And I have told Mr Gauci that if he needs anyone to go on school excursions he just needs to let me know."
Cheryl has been involved in Schools Spectacular for six years running and admits that she would enjoy helping out with that again.
"I am staying in Cowra, so I will still be around, and helping out at the school if they will have me," she said.
Cheryl could have retired last year, but felt that she had the duty to stay with her students going in to year 12.
"They were a very good year, and I wanted to help my class throough the HSC," she said.
Her dedication to students often kept her back late at school, even after she had been told to go home by the principal.
"There are no limits to Cheryl's dedication, she will go above and beyond if she knows what she is doing will benefit a student," said Mr Gauci.
"Even if she was a bit of a rebel and didn't listen to me when I told her to go home, I know she was just doing it for the kids, and I have a lot of respect for that."
Robyn Coffey and Beatrice Murray, who are both good friends with Mrs McAlister presented her with a beautiful gift for her retirement.
"This is your life," Mrs Coffey said as she lifted up a beautifully decorated kangaroo skin.
"These markings represent where you have come from, university, Bathurst, Wilcannia and Cowra, and shows the children you have helped along the way," she said.
Both Beatrice and Robyn broke down during the presentation saying that they would miss Cheryl dearly in her retirement.
Many people attended the morning tea, proof of the wonderful work Mrs Cheryl McAlister has undertaken in more than three and a half decades at Cowra High School.