After 29 impactful years at Hamilton High School and 35 years in education, longtime math teacher and proud Hawkeye alum Blaine Lugten is preparing to close an unforgettable chapter in his life — retirement.
A 1984 Hamilton graduate himself, Lugten has been a constant source of encouragement, humor, and wisdom in the math classroom since returning to his hometown to teach. But teaching wasn’t always the plan.
“I was going to be a dentist,” Lugten recalled. “But my college roommate — also a Hamilton grad — said to me, ‘You help students with math all the time. Why don’t you go into teaching?’” That nudge sparked a career that would leave a lasting legacy across generations of students.
Lugten's deep connection to the community runs through his family roots as well. His mother, a teacher in the Hamilton district for many years, left an impression that shaped Blaine’s view of service and education. “She taught at all the elementary schools here,” he said, referencing her time at Burnips Elementary in particular. “It’s always been a special place in our heart.”
Over nearly three decades, Lugten has taught every kind of math course imaginable, but he says it’s the relationships — not the numbers — that made his work truly meaningful.
“I love the community. Always have, always will,” he shared. “The students gravitate toward you. We share a lot of the same values, and I think that’s true for most of the community. It’s close-knit, and we care deeply about each other.”
While he originally planned to retire in a few more years, especially to finish out school alongside his daughter, a personal loss changed his perspective. “A week before the school year, my mother passed away,” he said. “That put a lot into perspective. A month into the school year, I started to really think about retirement.”
The decision wasn’t easy. “It’s so hard to walk away — especially when students say, ‘I need you to get me through until I graduate.’ That’s incredibly special to hear,” Lugten said with emotion. “The last day of school is going to be a mess for me. I know I’ll be a blubbering mess. I’m a very emotional person — I speak from the heart.”
Still, Lugten remains committed to finishing strong. “The community deserves it. They trusted me with their most prized possessions. I’m not going to disappoint them. I’m going to go strong to the end.”
As he reflects on a career filled with laughter, learning, and legacy, Lugten hopes that his influence doesn’t fade after his final lesson.
“I truly, truly will miss this place. I’ve spent so much of my life here — first as a student, then as a teacher. The relationships I’ve built are incredibly special,” he said. “I know I won’t be in these halls, but I think I’ve put my print on a lot of things here, and I hope that continues.”
Hamilton High School will surely feel the absence of Mr. Lugten’s voice echoing through its halls — and his impact, like the equations he's helped countless students solve, will live on for years to come.
