Ed Wong, a man with many hats — Key Club adviser, football game announcer, history teacher and many more — is stepping down from his post at Vicksburg High School.

Recently retired teacher Ed Wong has been a teacher, a role model and a father figure to thousands of students during his 37-year tenure at Vicksburg High.

After only being at Vicksburg High School for two years, Wong was asked by the principal to become the adviser to the Key Club. “They want you,” he told Wong on behalf of the students.

From that point forward, Wong was at the meetings every Tuesday. “It becomes a part of your life,” he said.

One of Wong’s recent graduates, Briana Knox, said she and Wong built a great relationship, and he helped her with a lot.

“He helped me to become a better person,” she said. “I’ve changed a whole lot to be the person I am today.”

Another 2015 graduate, Darrius Williams, said Wong made a great impact on his life.

“I grew up without my father; my mother was a single parent,” he said. “Mr. Wong stepped in and showed me what a true father should be.”

Williams said knowing Wong was there kept him out of trouble, because he knew he would be there if he stepped out of line.

One of Wong’s former students from a few years back, Katie Ferrell, said Wong was more than a teacher to many people.

“He has touched 37 years of kids,” she said. “He changed my life.”

Ginger Donahue said in Wong’s career, he’s taught different generations within her family.

“He had me and my brother, and then he had my son,” she said. “It’s just without words what he has done.”

Tom Osburn of Vicksburg Kiwanis said it’s difficult to quantify what Wong has meant to so many students.

“I wanted to try to roughly figure out how much money has been given out in scholarships,” he said. “I can say that he’s probably been a big influence in $100,000 to $150,000 in scholarships.”

Osburn and the rest of Vicksburg Kiwanis took up a collection in honor of Wong and raised $1,250 for the Eliminate Project sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. Wong was presented with a medal, plaque and gift card at their meeting Tuesday.

“We just wanted to say thank you for all (he has) done,” Osburn said.