A teacher at Coed y Brain Primary School in Llanbradach has celebrated 50 years of working at the school.
Stephanie Lewis, 73, first walked through the school doors two days after Neil Armstrong walked on the moon in 1969.
Now working as a teaching assistant, Mrs Lewis has no intention of stepping down any time soon.
She said: “It’s lovely here and I’ve never wanted to move. I’ve had so many adventures here.
“In my first classroom we used to toast bread on the fire. You couldn’t do that today.”
Mrs Lewis retired from teaching in the summer of 2006, but returned to the school that autumn to “help with odd jobs” and has remained as an assistant ever since.
After spending half a century at the school, Mrs Lewis said: “This school has changed terrifically. When I first started, the headteacher was very strict, but the headteacher after that came in and turned the school around. He brought in a new way of studying and made it enjoyable.
“I’m now finding that the grandchildren of the pupils I once taught are now in the school. One pupil is the great-grandchild of one of the cooks at the school when I first started.”
Speaking about her favourite memories in the school, Mrs Lewis said producing drama plays and watching the children feel a part of something was one of her highlights.
She added: “I’ve had wonderful times here. The staff and children have been wonderful too.
“We used to hold summer fetes on Saturdays and used to take pupils abroad to the Netherlands and Germany during the holidays.
“After the old church in the village was demolished in the 1990s, I used to take the children there as archaeologists and we brought back pieces of stone and stained-glass windows.”
Mrs Lewis also spoke about how being at the school helped her through her toughest moments in life.
“The school saved me after my husband died in 1990. The staff were so wonderful and helped me a lot.”
A special assembly was held at the school on Wednesday, July 17, to thank Mrs Lewis for her service to the school.
The assembly was attended by former-head teachers Aurelia Jones and Morien Morgan, as well as current head Jo Smith.
The school is currently on its sixth head teacher since Mrs Lewis first started in 1969.
Mrs Lewis, who is originally from Warwickshire, also spoke of her affection for Llanbradach as a village. She said: “I love Llanbradach and its people. When I first came here it was run-down as the mine had just closed, but the people were always very genuine and made the best of things.
“The village is well cared-for now and I’m proud of the place.”
She also noted how the ageing population of Llanbradach has meant the number of pupils in the school has dropped.
Teacher Michelle Jones, a colleague of Mrs Lewis, said: “I have worked with Steph for 25 years and she has become a very dear friend as well as a colleague.
“She is a much loved member of staff and is well known in the community as she taught most of them.
“She is unstoppable – Coed y Brain’s national treasure.”