Hero’s send-off: Local P.E. teacher entering U.S. Navy receives unforgettable farewell

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – Flags waved, students cheered, and shouts of “U.S.A.” echoed through the halls, as Eagle Rock Middle School teacher Sean Steo received an exhilarating send-off on his way to the U.S. Navy.

The P.E. teacher to hundreds of seventh and eighth graders received a special surprise on Thursday – with 728 students lining every hall in the school, each grasping an American flag in a solid show of support for their military hero.

“This day means everything. Honestly, I never would have expected this, and I've developed so many close relationships with all these kids,” Steo said.

As he prepares to enter Officer Candidate School (OCS), Steo visibly choked up as he reflected on the past four years he’s spent mentoring kids in Idaho Falls.

“Ultimately, every day that I came here for was for the kids,” Steo said. “I wanted to do right by them, and at this point in time I realized I could be doing more.”

Steo follows in the footsteps of generations of sailors, with his father served as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Navy.

“My grandfather was in the Navy. My father was in the Navy. It's a little bit of a legacy thing,” he shared.

He will report to Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island for 13 weeks of training, followed by 15 weeks in Virginia to become a Surface Warfare Officer.

But the P.E. teacher who’s called Idaho Falls home for the last nine years has left a lasting impression on the students he’s mentored.

“It means a lot. He's going to fight for our country,” said eighth grade basketball player Josiah Luna. “He taught me how to bench press, which really impacted my life because I love going to the gym.”

Eighth grader Taylen Henry reflected on the character Steo instills in his students.

“He was always some of my favorite teachers, and it’s sad to see him go,” Henry said. “He also taught me some life lessons – how to treat people right, be nice to other people, treat people the same.”

Fellow Eagle Rock teacher Erin Nazario shared an advisory class with Steo and reflected on the sacrifices of military personnel, their family and friends during duty in the Armed Services.

“It means that no matter where he is in this world, there's always someone here that's thinking of him at all times and grateful for his service and those that came before him,” she said.

In her original composition, “A Prayer for a Sailor,” she wrote:

“Though distance may grow,
And oceans divide.
Our pride sails with you
On every tide.

“Go boldly ahead
Let your legacy be,
One of honor and service
In the U.S. Navy.”