As the year comes to an end, it’s crucial to recognize and appreciate the impact teachers have on student’s lives. The guidance, support, and encouragement needed for a student to thrive. A good teacher can educate their students and allow conversation. Whereas a great teacher can inspire students to want to educate themselves and open conversations. Sophomore Emma Anderson said her Principles of Biomedical Sciences teacher, Sean Torgoley has been able to create an environment for everyone.

“T truly is the best teacher I have ever had. His classroom is a comfortable, safe space for all students. If you have him as a teacher you can see how he really cares about each of his students. He makes it his priority to assure all of his students are doing well both in and outside of school,” Anderson said.

Having confidence in school is important because it helps students stay motivated and focused on their goals, which is key for students to learn solid habits in the future. Counselor Jessica Kempa, who is able to see teachers’ impacts first hand, agrees.

“Our job as educators is about so much more than students passing classes and graduating from high school. Of course we want that for our students, but more than anything, we want them to be good people. And when students have people who believe in them and challenge them, like our teachers do here, they are going to graduate and do some pretty amazing things,” Kempa said.

Torgoley said he hopes he is able to help Anderson throughout high school in pushing through obstacles.

“Nothing can keep this girl down, she fights through adversity and cares about her grade. Which is why I have no doubt Emma will be successful past high school. Regardless of the hand she’s been given she turned all the negative obstacles into lessons and became the person she is today. I am looking forward to see the person she becomes at the end of her high school career,” Torgoley said.

Senior Cal Andrews, agrees and said his past choir teacher, Angela Rice was able to create positive habits with him.

“The teacher that has made the most impact on my life has been Mrs. Rice. She was my choir teacher for three years until she retired at the end of last year. Mrs Rice taught me how to have confidence in myself and in my abilities. Knowing how to be confident and trust myself has been one of the most important things I’ve learned and genuinely changed the way I live my life for the better,” Andrews said.

Teachers and coaches alike have this impact. Freshman Antoine Johnson said his football/wrestling coach and history teacher Brent Batcheller is able to push him past his limits.

“I got to know Batch even more by doing wrestling. He made me a way better person by wrestling and he told me that wrestling would help me a lot for football so guess what I did? I went out and tried wrestling.It wasn’t my favorite thing to do but you know why I did it? Because Batch made me a better person by helping know what I need. I couldn’t ask for a better coach than Coach Batch,” Johnson said.