John Keenan was an English teacher at Central for 39 years. He achieved legendary status for his demanding standards, his lively classroom, and his determination to help every serious-minded student succeed. Carefully written themes meticulously revised became the absolute standard for his classes, and theme deadline day always drew a large after-school crowd of his students spilling outside the classroom as they attempted to complete their theme requirements. Highly respected by his peers as a Master teacher, he gained statewide recognition in 1989 when he won the Christa McAuliffe Prize for Teaching. He received the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award the following year. He retired in 1995.
John passed away in 2000 at the age of 69.