Dear High School Teachers,

Just like many other people, high school was not the best time for me. I had issues with friends, a lot of things going on at home, and went through a time of major insecurity. But then, you three came along. I am so lucky to be able to say that I had multiple teachers that really inspired me, and was even able to have one of them twice throughout my high school career. Having all three of these teachers senior year made my last year of high school much more bearable, and two years later, they still continue to make an impact on me today.

Mr. Chow, The world’s best art teacher with the evilest “BWAHAHAHA” laugh. Having Mr. Chow both sophomore and senior year was incredible. He always knew how to make you laugh even if you wanted to cry, acted like a genuine human being around his students, and knew how to balance fun with getting work done. Even though he LOVED giving constructive criticism to the point where I wanted to pull my hair out by the end of a project, it made me a better person today and I wouldn’t trade taking those two classes with him for anything (even though my art skills lacked severely compared to my peers). From trying his hardest to beat me in Flappy Bird, to sitting down and just talking to me and my friends, he has made a significant impact on the person I am today, and the teacher I strive to be in the future. I hope that my students will be able to see me as not only their teacher, but a caring and funny friend who has their best interests at heart.

Mrs. McGinley, She was the teacher that no one could fool, but in a good way. She always knew if something was going on without having to say a word. If I was having a bad day, she never hesitated to make the time to check in with me. When I walked into the classroom, she made me feel like a loved and important individual. She supported me through the good times and the bad, serving as a role model from all of the work she successfully accomplished in her life. During my senior year, she attended school while working two jobs at the same time, and to me, that is truly inspiring. She was the teacher that always had the door open ready to listen to whatever you had to say, and the shoulder to cry on during the bad days. I hope that when I have a classroom of my own, I can be half as inspiring to my students as she was to me, making them feel as loved, welcomed, and important as she made me feel.

Mrs. Trader, Public speaking can be an extremely difficult and nerve racking class to take, and for some reason, I chose to take it out of my own will. It was not a requirement to graduate, nor was it pushed upon me to take by any faculty or peers. Numerous people even told me I was crazy for taking the class and to drop it right from the start and take a study hall period instead. I will never forget the first day of class. You set high expectations for us all, setting clear standards and goals. All I kept thinking about is if I should listen to everyone and drop the class. I have absolutely no regret staying in it, and it was the number one most rewarding class I took not only in my four years of high school but all of my schooling to date.

After you “weeded out the weaklings” on the first day, I learned more from you about public speaking and life in general than I ever could have imagined. You taught me the skills I needed to be a successful person, speaker, and teacher. I worked harder than any senior in high school wants to in your class, and it was probably one of the most anxiety-ridden and stressful classes I took throughout all of high school. However, it was worth it, as it gave me the confidence I needed to succeed in college and hopefully beyond. It taught me to never give up, to overcome your nerves, and as a teacher, to make sure you always engage your students. We were always on our toes, from improvisational speeches to tongue twisters, and ten-minute long speeches. I went from being a student who barely spoke in school to one who participates daily in all of my courses. This class will always have an impact on me, and I couldn’t be happier that I stuck with my gut and stayed in it, even though it was such a difficult journey at the time. When I am a teacher, I hope that I can get even some of the same respect from my students that I will always have for her.

I still stay in contact with all three of these teachers, and I hope these memories and relationships will never go away. Throughout school, you have many teachers- some you forget about, others you remember for a bad reason, and then there are the select few that were just so special that they will always hold a dear place in your heart. These three teachers were those teachers for me, and I could never thank them enough for everything they did for me both during and after high school, even though they may not have been aware of it.

Sincerely,

An Appreciative Student