For 40 years, Melissa Reynolds has helped Bishop Miege students find their voices as a debate and forensics coach, teacher, and so much more.

Her students have gone on to speak on the floors of Congress and state houses, write New York Times bestselling novels, present feature films at premieres, and argue cases in countless courtrooms.

Now, a group of those former students and their parents have created a legacy that will help future Stags find their own voices.

The Melissa Reynolds Scholarship Fund was established as part of the Bridge to the Future (BTF) endowment by a group of alumni to honor Reynolds and her lasting impact on Bishop Miege’s debate and forensics programs.

The fund has surpassed $50,000, allowing the first $2,000 scholarship to be awarded this year. Each additional $50,000 raised will create another scholarship, extending Reynolds’ impact to generations of students.

The fund also marks a milestone in Bishop Miege history. The Melissa Reynolds Scholarship is the first scholarship at Miege to be named in honor of a current teacher, a testament to the impact Reynolds has made through 40 years of teaching and coaching.

At an evening honoring Reynolds and recognizing the generosity of the Miege community, former students reflected on the lessons they learned in her classroom and the community they found there.

Andrew Marino ’97 spoke about the skills Reynolds gave her students and the ways those lessons have continued to shape their lives.

“The skills that we learned from Mrs. Reynolds, the work that we did with her in terms of reading, and thinking, and speaking was totally invaluable and has made us the people that we are today,” Marino said. “There’s no way that I would have the professional and academic success that I’ve had had it not been for Mrs. Reynolds.”

Oliver said the most important part of Reynolds’ legacy isn’t necessarily what her students went on to accomplish. It is the kindness and patience Reynolds brought to creating a place where her students could find their voices.

“High school can be an overwhelming time, especially when so much of your world revolves around fitting in, navigating the sometimes-unforgiving social pressures, and figuring out where you belong. In Mrs. Reynolds’ classroom, everyone belongs. Her classroom became a refuge from those pressures. She created a space that felt safe and welcoming for all of us. That community is why we are all here.”

That sense of community is something Marino remembers, too.

“We all went to those tournaments that would last two days and spend such time together and formed life-long rich friendships and that created a family,” Marino said. “The legacy that Mrs. Reynolds left continues to this day. So thank you, Mrs. Reynolds. You deserve all the accolades that you have, and I’m so happy that they set up this scholarship so that others get the opportunity that we had.”

The friendships, confidence, and communication skills developed in Reynolds’ classroom have carried her students far beyond their years at Bishop Miege. For many, the relationships they built through debate and forensics became part of a community that has lasted for decades.

For Reynolds, the students who walked through her classroom door over the past four decades have been at the heart of the work.

“There are so many times I just sit there and go, ‘They are so much smarter than me. How did I ever teach them anything?’ Because these are some of the most brilliant minds that I’ve had the pleasure of walking through my classroom door, and that I’ve had the opportunity to get to love, take care of, and teach them how to dress appropriately, and all those good things. Thank you.”

For 40 years, Reynolds has helped generations of Stags find their voices. Now, the Melissa Reynolds Scholarship will help ensure that future students have the opportunity to find their own voices, discover their strengths, and become the next generation of Stags.