After eight years at Midtown, STEAM Coordinator Alex Wallace is retiring. During his time as an educator and faculty member, Wallace served as a mentor for students.

Wallace believes his different roles have helped him to impact the students he has worked with.

“I’m proud of the work I’ve done at Midtown while serving in multiple roles, including teacher, English department chair, school-based mentor, intervention specialist, BETA Club advisor and STEAM instructional coach,” Wallace said. “Each role allowed me to grow and make a meaningful impact.”

BETA Club

During his time at Midtown, Wallace has served as the advisor for the National BETA Club, which focuses on community service. He is proud of the club’s progress and accomplishments.

“I am especially proud of growing the BETA Club and expanding opportunities for students to lead,” Wallace said. “Watching students step into leadership roles and develop their potential has been incredibly rewarding.”

BETA Club President, senior Gabby Witmer, believes Wallace has created a sense of accountability within BETA club by helping its members to remain committed to community service projects.

“Mr. Wallace has improved Beta Club by helping create a stronger sense of purpose and involvement within the organization,” Witmer said. “He has focused on building a group of students who are genuinely committed to service, leadership and making a positive impact. By encouraging active participation and accountability, he has helped make the club more organized and effective overall.”

BETA Club President for the 2026-27 school year, junior Samaya Agarwal, believes Wallace promotes student leadership, collaboration and communication through his position as BETA Club advisor.

“I am thankful that [Wallace] constantly wants the students to be leading, pushing us to share our ideas with each other and collaborate…,” Agarwal said. “Mr. Wallace’s ability to collaborate with his students on levels, such as those, is truly impressive and not common among all adult sponsors.”

Like Agarwal, Witmer believes that Wallace helps foster student collaboration.

“He encourages us to take initiative and allows us to lead projects in ways that we feel passionate about,” Witmer said. “Rather than immediately shutting down ideas that may be difficult to execute, he helps us think through different approaches and find realistic solutions so we can still accomplish our goals. He is always supportive and empowering, which creates an environment where students feel confident making a difference and taking on leadership roles.”

Though he is retiring, Wallace plans to continue making an impact through community service and mentorship.

“I plan to travel the world, volunteer more in my community, continue learning, explore new hobbies and keep impacting the lives of students as a life coach and mentor,” Wallace said.

Witmer explains that Wallace helped her feel more comfortable transitioning into high school, and has been a support since her freshman year.

“Mr. Wallace made a significant impact on me from the very beginning of my high school experience,” Witmer said. “Since he taught my first class freshman year, he played a big role in helping me feel comfortable and supported during such a major transition. He was always patient, clear with instructions and willing to help whenever I needed guidance.”

Witmer believes Wallace has helped students feel more comfortable stepping into new environments.

“Mr. Wallace has made a lasting impact on both students and staff at Midtown through his welcoming personality and genuine support for everyone around him,” Witmer said. “He creates an environment where people feel comfortable, heard and valued… He has built strong relationships throughout the Midtown community, and it is clear how respected and appreciated he is by both students and faculty.”

Sophomore Mia Pivoshenko, BETA Club’s Vice President for the 2026-2027 school year, appreciates Wallace’s efforts to help his students succeed.

“My favorite part of working with Mr. Wallace in BETA Club [has] been the push that it has given me,” Pivoshenko said. “Without BETA Club, I don’t think I would have been able to get many of the service hours I have or the community service engagement that I do.”

Agarwal is thankful for Wallace’s support and mentorship throughout her time at Midtown, and knows she can turn to him for support.

“During my time at Midtown, Mr. Wallace has been a mentor to me,” Agarwal said. “Outside of BETA Club, [he is] someone I am able to go to for advice and support. He had confidence in my leadership abilities when I went out for BETA Club leadership last year, which I deeply appreciate.”

Overall, Witmer believes Wallace’s ability to make others feel recognized helps him to succeed as a leader.

“[Wallace] does a great job of making students and staff feel heard, appreciated and included in whatever project or initiative is taking place,” Witmer said. “At the same time, he is incredibly organized and effective at leading projects, making sure everything stays on track and gets completed successfully.”

Witmer believes Wallace’s empathetic character makes him a great leader.

“As a leader, Mr. Wallace is organized, dependable and determined,” Witmer said. “He knows how to guide people effectively while still making everyone feel included and valued. As a person, he is incredibly outgoing, funny and easy to talk to. He has a personality that naturally makes people feel comfortable around him, and I honestly cannot imagine someone who would not get along with him.”

Pivoshenko says she will miss the dedication and positivity that Wallace brought to the school community.

“I will really miss Wallace’s positive mindset and his commitment to BETA club,” Pivoshenko said. “His dedication to bettering Midtown is something that will truly be missed.”

Like Pivoshenko, Witmer will miss Wallace’s optimism.

“What I will miss most about working with Mr. Wallace is his positivity, support and sense of humor,” Witmer said. “He always brings a great attitude to everything he does and has a way of making challenges feel manageable. Even in situations that seemed difficult, he always reassured people that there was a way to make things work… He has had a lasting impact on so many students, including me, and I will truly miss his presence at Midtown.”

Agarwal will miss getting to work with Wallace through BETA club, and has appreciated his kindness as an educator.

“I will miss visiting [Wallace], whether it’s randomly during lunch, in his office or as we pass by each other in the hallway,” Agarwal said. “Mr. Wallace carries a perfect mix of composure, humor and kindness which allows for jokes but also calls for seriousness at the appropriate time. I am really going to miss jokingly getting on to each other, while also asking him what to do when I need help with something. He has left a lasting impression in my heart, and I am sure that any student who has built a relationship with him has felt lucky to get to have him as a teacher.”

After retiring, Wallace says he will miss getting to interact with students and colleagues.

“I will miss the relationships I’ve built with my colleagues and the opportunity to impact students’ lives every day,” Wallace said.

Wallace values the relationships he has created during his time working at Midtown, and will continue to look back on the memories he has made.

“I will take away all of the fond memories I’ve created with my students and colleagues,” Wallace said. “The relationships and experiences I’ve gained here will stay with me for a lifetime.”