COVINGTON, Ky. — As students return to Covington Independent Schools this fall, one educator at Holmes High School is marking an extraordinary milestone that few in his profession ever reach.
Gary Huhn, 80, is celebrating his 60th year in education at the school where he once walked the halls as a student.
"When I went to college, I started in pre-pharmacy and I didn't like it, switched to education, double majoring in math and biological sciences," said Huhn. "The only place I actually applied for was here for a job, because I live in Covington, and I got hired right away — been here the rest of my life."
The 1962 Holmes High School graduate has become a fixture in the community, teaching math and mentoring generations of students.
"I'm basically here to help the students right now. I'm no longer in the classroom itself. I work as an academic adviser. I'm in charge of eligibility for the athletic teams, and there's nothing harder than telling a young athlete, You can't play next week because your grades aren't high enough," said Huhn.
WATCH: How Gary Huhn's mentorship is changing students' lives beyond the classroom
Huhn leads the Invincible to Distractions Group, a mentoring program for male students at Holmes.
"We meet every six weeks or so," said Huhn. "We discussed several topics, but not athletics, even though all of them have been or are athletes. We talk about such things as loyalty, trust, obligation, relationships, reliability, any time we can come up with."
The group follows one important rule: once the first person speaks, everyone listens.
For senior athlete Mark McCutchen Jr., the mentorship has been transformative.
"It was some challenges, it was ups and downs, it was a lot, but once we started this, it changed everything. Everything went upwards instead of down," said McCutchen.
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Since 1972, Huhn has also served as the school's scorekeeper for the varsity basketball team, tallying points and never missing a game for 42 years.
"I worked over 1,500 varsity basketball games," he said.
But for Huhn, his greatest achievement isn't measured in points or years of service — it's the connections he's made with students.
"I had a student last year. I was talking to him and I brought up something, and he said, 'You're the first teacher to tell me they trust me," Huhn recalled.
McCutchen echoed that sentiment: "Bad stuff, the good stuff, he was always there, somebody you can count on."
