Thank You, Teachers!

Dear high school teachers,

Teachers play a super important role in not only the education of students but also their overall well-being. Teachers help shape who we become as people and help us discover our passions and future careers. 

We here at Cub Reporter want to give a special thank you.

Last year, the inaugural staff of Cub Reporter started a tradition that our current Cub Reporter staff is taking it upon themselves to continue: using our interviewing and reporting skills to celebrate the hard work and time that you put into giving us a quality education experience.

Tell us about a time when a teacher noticed that you were down and how they helped you.

• “My psych. Teacher, Ms. Gustafson. I was sad about some family stuff going on and she really helped me get through the day.” Sage Olsen (sophomore)
• “Madam Jaster. She is always there when students need help and is always there to lend a helping hand.” Kathryn Kozisek (sophomore)
• “Mr Forman, he is technically the accompanist but is also partially the choir director and partially the drama director. There was a day where he could REALLY tell that something was wrong. He didn’t know what was actually wrong but he came over and sat down by me. He didn’t ask me what was wrong or any other questions. He just sat by me, it was a silent acknowledgment that I knew that he was there if I needed anything.” Lilli Reeves (junior)
• “Malone made me laugh because she tells funny jokes about ecology.” Sienna Moore (sophomore)
• “When I asked [Mrs. Malone] how I can get my grade up and they tried every way to help me see what I can re-do that could get my grade the most up.” Simra Khan (sophomore)
• “I think it was Mr. Anaya, I just wasn’t feeling good that day and he just made my day a lot better and just came up to me and helped me up, helped me feel better.” Colin Copeland (sophomore)
• “Ms. Canale when I was stressed out, she let me sit out of doing work and I just had to make it up.” Blake Aragon (freshman)
• “When Mrs. Malone, when we were in science class, I was a little behind because I was on a trip and she just helped me get back in class and get ready and helped get my work done to catch up.” Charlie Poe (sophomore)
• “Definitely Mrs. Anderson, my interior design teacher, she always brings my mood up.” Lily Smith (freshman) 
• “Mrs. Malone, I had missed about a month of school because I was sick and she was just really supportive of me.” Jebon Faruque (sophomore)
• “When Ms. Halboth saw me struggling in class, she reached out to me and helped me work through a lot of stuff that had been weighing me down at the time. It really meant a lot coming from her especially because it was during her freshman seminar which is always hectic but she still made time for me.” Amelia McElhone (junior)
• “Ms. Gus Saw me stressing over the AP Test and gave me a lot of reassurance.” Madi Teeples (junior)
• “Ms. Gilman. She gave me food when I was having a bad day and it made me happy.” Fernanda Pina Badillo (freshman)
• “Mrs. Schauer, because she lets us kinda, just have a minute if we need one. She is understanding.” DeLorey Kuhn (junior)

Tell us about a time when a teacher made you laugh.

• “Probably Mr. Jasica, a lot. I can’t remember a specific time, but he’s made me laugh a lot throughout the year.” Sage Olsen (sophomore)
• “I’d also have to go with Mr.Jasica. He is probably one of my favorite teachers because he’s fun and spirited and he makes a point to greet me in the halls and we have our own fun greetings.” Kathryn Kozisek (sophomore)
• “Bickley, I have it in my quote book. When we were in class her coffee cave order came in and she stopped everything and said “Sorry, I have priorities.”. Then another time, she also said “You’re going to give them a complex if you keep calling them “The weird ones.”” Lilli Reeves (junior)
• “Ms. Halboth always makes me laugh with her… stuff.” Megan Richmond (sophomore)
• “Ms. Wawrzyniak’s funny, she’s chill, I like her. Yeah, Ms. Warzeniack’s funny…oh, and Ms. Bickley in chemistry.” Michael Morlet (junior
• “Mrs. Healy because her spirit is always really up.” Simra Khan (sophomore)
• “Malone made me laugh because she tells funny jokes about ecology.” Sienna Moore (sophomore)
• “I was in Ms. Walker’s class, and she was asking something, she asked ‘do you know’ and I said ‘The muffin man’ and we laughed a bit. It was funny.” Colin Copeland (sophomore)
• “Ms. Gilmore when she cracks jokes about other classes and other people.” Blake Aragon (freshman)
• “Ms. Bitsie when we were having a fun time and were just talking and she just said a funny joke.” Charlie Poe (sophomore)
• “Senora Healy, she’s just funny in general, she makes me laugh a lot.” Jebon Faruque (sophomore)
• “Probably just in Ms. Kincaid’s but she always makes me laugh.” Mackenzie Kenner (sophomore)
• “Mr Jasica just in general always makes me laugh. His dad jokes honestly aren’t very good but I think that’s what makes it funny. In general, he’s just an easy-going guy so it’s easy to get along with him.” Amelia McElhone (junior)
• “In geometry, me and Natalie were playing with orbeez on my water bottle and i accidentally knocked it over and Mr. Laken was like ‘Rough day huh?’” Camilla Guitierez (sophomore)
• “Ms. Healy makes me laugh every day when she tells stories because she’s so exuberant when she acts them out.” Madi Teeples (junior)
• “Mrs. Anderson because she gave us chips and brownies and stuff and made the class more interesting.” Lily Smith (freshman)
• “Mrs. Gilmore, definitely every day in English, she’s funny.”  Brycen Engles (freshman)
• “Ms. Halboth makes me laugh. We do dumb crap together and games and it can get intense.” Fernanda Pina Badillo (freshman)
• “Mr. Hail threw an egg at the ceiling and it like dripped down for like 2 days.” Olivia Vidal (freshman)
• “Ms. Halboth all the time. She just says funny stuff.” DeLorey Kuhn (junior)

Tell us about a time when a teacher went above and beyond for their class.

• “I’d say Ms. Healy. There have been many times when she would throw us parties and give us cake and stuff. And she kinda just looks after the entire class in general; giving us breaks and stuff and makes us really feel cared for.” Sage Olsen (sophomore)
• “Mrs. Schauer for her yearbook class, she will bring in homemade bread, and we will celebrate completing a deadline.” Lilli Reeves (junior)
• “Any film studies class. Ms. Halboth gives us assignments that we actually want to do and they encourage creativity. There is enough flexibility to allow us to do what we want to do.” Megan Richmond (sophomore)
• “Ms. Wawrzyniak pulled out real money from her own bank account and let us use it for a lesson and also Ms. Bickley collected cans and stuff. I just really like it that some teachers choose to pull stuff from, or they’ll take it on their own responsibility instead of getting school materials and stuff, they just use their own household or real stuff that they have.” Michael Morlet (junior)
• “Ms. Walker made this game for us to learn instead of having us take notes or something.”  Simra Khan (sophomore)
• “Ms. Durkin when she let us choose a choice project when she realized a lot of people were struggling on the concept and we achieved more.” Sienna Moore (sophomore)
• “Ms. Gilmore when we had a food drive, we donated I think $20 or $30 and she got us all donuts.” Blake Aragon (freshman)
• “Kev, the woodshop teacher, he would always excuse somebody if they were gone if they just couldn’t catch up and it was just something that he did that was just really awesome.” Charlie Poe (sophomore)
• “Ms. Schauer’s pretty good at taking care of her students and keeping track of them.” Caroline Greva (junior)
• “Mr. Brenson for sure, he helped us quite a bit in geography.” Fernando Arellanes (sophomore)
• “My science teacher helped the class do well with the labs. Ms. Car.” Mackenzie Kenner (sophomore)
• “Ms. Halboth always goes above and beyond in her classes I feel. She’s very considerate of her student’s emotions and really is able to connect with them and come to a resolution if they’re ever struggling to complete a task.” Amelia McElhone (junior)
• “Also Mrs. Anderson because she gave us chips and brownies and stuff and made the class more interesting.” Lily Smith (freshman)
• “Once again Ms. Walker just because of her setting up the AP reviews, her getting the popsicles for after the test and in the first week of school just cus.” Camilla Guitierez (sophomore)
• “Mrs. Carcelero because of how much effort she puts into assignments.” Brycen Engles (freshman)
• “Ms. Schauer does everything she can to make people succeed in class by being patient and very understanding when something is going on in our lives and thoroughly makes sure we understand the material.” Madi Teeples (junior)
• “Ms. Halboth making time for our needs and having treats for us when we needed it.” Fernanda Pina Badillo (freshman)
• “Ms. Mohar gave us all donut holes and strawberries for finishing our final.” Olivia Vidal (freshman)
• “Ms. Archibald, she gives us extra time to study if we need it. She made extra time to come in and study with her before and after school.” DeLorey Kuhn (junior)

Tell us about a time a teacher made you feel cared for.

• “I’d probably say Ms. Gus again because she helped me when I felt down.” Sage Olsen (sophomore)
• “I’d say Madam Jaster again. She always puts in a lot of effort into our class. I know how much effort she puts into her assignments. She also just always puts together fun things for us, like when we made cakes in her class and when we had a party to commemorate the end of the year.” Kathryn Kozisek (sophomore)
• “Every time when Ms. Bickley, when I say something mildly concerning, she stops to check in with me.” Lilli Reeves (junior)
• “Again, those examples I already gave show that they care for their students and I guess that can be applied to my individuality.” Michael Morlet (junior)
• “Ms. Sully made me feel cared for when she took the time to re-explain a project that I didn’t get the first time around.” Sienna Moore (sophomore)
• “When it was my birthday and they asked how my birthday was, Ms. Malone”  Simra Khan (sophomore)
• “Last year, Mr. Brusheer was the best teacher, he helped me through the class, was very down to earth, very calm, very nice, I miss him a lot.” Colin Copeland (sophomore)
• “Ms. Polenz when she makes someone feel uncomfortable from a joke, she apologizes.” Blake Aragon (freshman)
• “Mrs. Malone because she’s always been there and if you’re ever behind she always cares for you.” Charlie Poe (sophomore)
• “Ms. Malone and Senora Healy. They’re my two favorite teachers so yeah.” Jebon Faruque (sophomore)
• “My weightlifting teacher, Anaya.” Jebon Faruque (sophomore)
• “Ms. Schauer made me feel cared for when she works with me at track practice because she’s so uplifting and supportive both as a teacher and coach.” Madi Teeples (junior)
• “Ms. Gilman will listen when I’m stressed. It helps me feel relieved.” Fernanda Pina Badillo (freshman)

Who is your favorite teacher and why?

• “Jessica (yes Jessica), because he’s funny.” Sage Olsen (sophomore)
• “I think I’m gonna have to go with Jasica (For the reasons stated before).” Kathryn Kozisek (sophomore)
• “I would have to say, Bickley, she makes me laugh the most, and she truly wants us to succeed. Or it’s Forman because he has dedicated so much time and effort to us in theater and you can truly tell he cares. In Forman we trust.”  Lilli Reeves (junior)
• “Halboth, because she’s just really open and a cool person.” Megan Richmond (sophomore)
• “Mr. Kantor from weightlifting because I had him last year and I TA’d for him and he was super cool.” Michael Morlet (junior)
• “Ms. Durkin and Ms. Mohar because I really like art and they’re art teachers and I feel closest to them because of our interests and that I’m in a lot of their classes.” Sienna Moore (sophomore)
• “I don’t think I can have a favorite teacher, they’re all like…my children. I don’t know if I can have a favorite teacher, I have a lot of favorites.” Colin Copeland (sophomore)
• “Mrs. Gilmore, she’s just very chill and nice and always lets me come to ELO.” Lily Smith (freshman)
• “Kev, because he’s always open to questions and you could always go to him for anything you need and he will always help you no matter what.” Charlie Poe (sophomore)
• “Ms. Malone, she’s always been kind to me and has helped me through a lot.” Jebon Faruque (sophomore)
• “Mrs. Malone, she’s an energetic teacher for sure and she makes the class more lively.” Fernando Arellanes (sophomore)
• “Ms. Schauer. I feel like I talk to her more than other teachers and it’s not just about school stuff, but also personal stuff.” Caroline Greva (Junior)
• “Gotta be Ms. Kincaid because she’s always there for me and yeah.” Mackenzie Kenner (sophomore)
• “My favorite teacher right now is definitely Ms. Walker. She’s just the sweetest teacher and is really good at explaining things.  She actually takes time to connect with the students even though we were all going crazy for the AP exam.” Camilla Guitierez (sophomore)
• “Ms. Schauer is my favorite teacher because she’s so optimistic, cares about everyone’s success, and is so optimistic.” Madi Teeples (junior)
• “Ms. Gilman is my favorite teacher because she’s been there when I needed her.” Fernanda Pina Badillo (freshman)
• “Mrs. Walker because she’s nice.” Dom Nieves (freshman)
• “Ms. Archibald. She puts in extra effort.” DeLorey Kuhn (junior)

If you could tell our teachers one thing about the impact they have, what would it be?

• “The impact that they have on kids and how they impact kids’ mental health and that affects how they are in the future as people.” Sage Olsen (sophomore)
• “Just that, I know that as students we may be difficult, but we truly do appreciate everything that they do for us.” Kathryn Kozisek (sophomore)
• “They give me a place to feel seen.” Megan Richmond (sophomore)
• “They’re pretty important if they are good people and good teachers at the same time and if they show that they genuinely care about their students, they’d probably get better grades and ratings.” Michael Morlet (junior)
• “I would tell Ms. Sully that I enjoy English more because of her because her lessons really helped me.” Sienna Moore (sophomore)
• “Always try to be helpful to your students or go above and beyond for your students because, I guess in the end it helps you more because students do well in MAPS, and it’s because of you.” Simra Khan (sophomore)
• “They affect our days every day.”  Lily Smith (freshman)
• “Be good people, just be nice, yeah…” Colin Copeland (sophomore)
• “Keep being positive and yeah.” Blake Aragon (freshman)
• “They’re doing a really good job and yeah, they’re amazing teachers.” Charlie Poe (sophomore)
• “You guys are doing a great job, keep it up.” Jebon Faruque (sophomore)
• “I feel like, without them, school would be a lot more boring.” Fernando Arellanes (sophomore)
• “They have a big impact on a lot of students on the way they talk to them and on the way they can start out someone’s day either negative or good, and having a good conversation with a teacher and them making you feel seen means a lot more than they think it does.” Caroline Greva (junior)
• “It’s really helped me be a better person.” Mackenzie Kenner (sophomore)
• “One thing I would tell all teachers in general is just thank you for the effort and the time you take to inspire and teach us everyday.” Amelia McElhone (junior)
• “Thank you so much. I was never on the road to be a super senior but it’s good to not feel like I’m gonna be a super senior.” Camilla Guitierez (sophomore)
• “Don’t be mean, nah.” Fernanda Pina Badillo (freshman)
• “Teachers can sometimes make or break classes. My least favorite class can quickly become my favorite when I love my teacher.” Madi Teeples (junior)

We could only conduct so many interviews, but we would like to thank our many teachers this year who contributed to improving our lives and having a good impact on us. Have a great summer!

Sincerely,
The Cub Reporter Staff
2023/2024