Former teacher travels across country to keep promise to his 1st class: Watch them graduate

DENVER (KUSA) - At Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Mike Taglienti is a physician, but to the individuals he taught At Sheridan Elementary School in Colorado, he’s still just “Mr. Tag.”

Now, Taglienti traveled halfway across the country to watch them graduate high school.

“I had quite a few teachers believe in me. He probably believed in me the most though, which is pretty cool,” Taglienti’s former student, Jazlene Barows, said.

Taglienti says a teacher always re their first class, and he carried those memories with him when he became a student once again.

“From the very beginning, I always knew that I was going to leave. I knew I was studying for medicine. I was going to leave to go to med school to be a doctor,” Taglienti said.

Eight years later, Taglienti came back from Boston because of a promise he made to those first students.

“I‘m rooting for you guys, and when you guys graduate, I’ll be back,” Taglienti previously told his students.

The students didn’t forget Taglienti either or the lessons he taught them.

“I definitely kept it all. I was looking through it and one thing that I think is so fun to look back on is those videos we made,” Taglienti said.

It’s those connections that mean the most to Taglienti.

“You’re just trying to see how could you hopefully impact them in a way that goes beyond that one grade,” Taglienti said.

Now, he said he couldn’t wait to see his first students over the finish line. from fourth grade to high school graduation.

“Any dream is possible, but it takes hard work,” Barows remarked.

Taglienti’s dream of watching his students succeed is coming true.

“It’s a symbolic thing, right? Watching these kids leave the classroom is symbolic, being here with all these kids on this turf field where we played recess every day is symbolic and watching them cross the stage will be huge,” Taglienti said.

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