12/12/17

Transcript:

Darwin Coovadia: This is Darwin Coovadia from Lakewood StoryCorps, today we have Principal Erin Savage and Volunteer Coordinator Ann Sherman-White discussing their long lasting friendship.

Ann Sherman-White: This is my friend, Erin Eugenia Monroe Savage.

Erin Savage: Did you have to do the whole thing?

ASW: Yes, I have to, because when people talk about us they use our names like we’re one and the same, “Erin Ann, Ann Erin”.

ASW: When did we first meet? Do you remember when we first met?

ES: I remember us going to Maximo Elementary together. What I remember most is middle school, where we connected and became best friends.

ASW: When we got to sixth grade, I was still geeky, you were way cooler than I was, and so I think our friendship blossomed sixth going into seventh as we started walking home. I don’t remember exactly how we connected?

ES: But I definitely remembered sixth going into seventh and definitely by eighth grade…

ASW: Yeah, by eighth grade it was a wrap.

ES: We were just, inseparable.

ASW: Getting into shenanigans that we won’t talk about.

ASW: If there was a chance for us to hang out with our boyfriends or each other, our boyfriends were going to lose. We have secrets that we laugh about that we will definitely take to the grave, so I think that’s what makes us good friends.

ASW: What are you favorite memories from Lakewood?

ES: We had a teacher who was a staple here at Lakewood, he was everyone’s favorite teacher. He taught psychology, he lived in Lakewood Estates, we would pass by his house, blow the horn, “Hey Mr. Howard!”, and even after he retired he was still that guy. And Coach Wright.

ASW: You can’t forget about Coach Wright.

ES: And the old basketball coach, coach Wright, he was also a P. E. teacher, and I know I hated P. E. but I loved Coach Wright.

ASW: And then just being involved, I loved being a social butterfly, so I would drag her. I couldn’t do it myself because then I wouldn’t have anybody to kekeke with.

ES: I’m a social person, but I’m more introverted, and she’s the social butterfly.

ASW: What’s changed most about Lakewood? There was such a sense of everyone wanted to be a Spartan. We have judges, we have lawyers, and we have politicians, and doctors and dentists that have gone on to be leaders in their field. So that’s what I think has changed there was a different type of student and a different type of pride.

ASW: I don’t know if you could tell or not but we were definitely mean girls. I was student life editor of the year book, and if you weren’t in my circle of friends, your picture wasn’t in the yearbook.

ES: You know they’re taping us right?
ASW: That’s fine, so what I’m saying is that you can overcome mean girl spirit.

ES: Who impacted us? A teacher, did a teacher impact us?

ASW: I think… Mr. Doodah, that’s who. He later became the principal. He reminded you on Don Johnson, from Miami Vice.

ES: He was just the best thing since sliced bread.

ASW: Yeah, and he played music in class, but there are songs that play now and I hear it and I’m like “Ah! Seventh grade!”

ES: “Mr. Doodah!”

ES: I’m Erin Savage, principal at Lakewood High, and I really enjoyed talking with my bestie, just bringing back memories, it was wonderful.

ASW: I’m Ann Sherman-White, and this is my bestie, she’s been there since my kids were born, when I was sick, when I was screwing up in college, when we had deaths in the family..

ES: Well it was talking to you.

ASW: Nice talking to you Ms. Savage!

ES: Alrighty.

DC:  This was Lakewood StoryCorps, see you next time.