On the first day of school, most students are nervous, but one teacher’s smile, joke, or kind word can change everything. Years from now, most students won’t remember every assignment or test, but they will remember the teachers who believed in them when no one else did.

If students had to sum up a teacher in 3 words, what would they be? 

Freshman Misa Long said, “Ms. Mihalo is an unforgettable teacher because she makes us not have a hard time and cares for us students. She also makes sure we pass, and I would describe her as helpful, kind, and understandable.”

 “I would describe Ms. Pathapadu as supportive, kind, and funny because of the things she does, but she still helps us with our work and encourages us to go to bio prep,” said freshman Zebdi Quintanilla. 

“I would say my unforgettable teacher, Ms. Eberhard, is kind, sweet, and trustworthy because you can trust her with anything and she will always listen and give good advice,” said freshman Xzavier Thomas Jackson. “I would describe my teacher, Dr. LePelch, as enthusiastic, understanding, and kind. She is definitely unforgettable by the way she is very dedicated to her accomplishments,” said freshman Nissi Ruiz. “Her assignments are given to prove that she’s not just assigning us something she wouldn’t want to do herself. She talks to us endearingly, she believes in us, and rewards us.”

Everyone has a teacher who has made a big impact on their learning skills, like sophomore Madison Dawson, whose teachers have helped her improve her grades by teaching her helpful habits and giving her support. “Ms. Mihalo helped me with a bunch of stuff and is very kind to her students,” said Dawson. “One of my teachers invited me to stay after school and bring up my grades. Another of my teachers encouraged me to focus more on my tasks, and helps me out a lot if I ask her. My classes have been going so much better due to the help from teachers.”

It’s important to know how students feel about teachers and learn about the impact they create on their students. Most students at Osbourn High School have a teacher whom they really appreciate. Thinking back to the lessons that stuck with students, how did their teachers make boring topics interesting, and did it change how students felt about a subject?

Often, students feel that a lot of what they may learn in school is not applicable to their day-to-day lives, and they appreciate when teachers relate it back to real life, like Brianna Mira. “One lesson I won’t forget is when my AP Human Geography teacher taught us about population patterns and migration. It stuck with me because he didn’t just make it about memorizing terms; he connected it to real-world situations and made it feel relevant to our lives. Even when the topic seemed complicated, which is probably most of the time for me, he explained it in a simple way and used examples we could actually understand. He would sometimes joke around or tell stories, which made the class understand a little more since he wasn’t using huge vocabulary words,” Mira said.      “One of my teachers would always remind us that the class is challenging for everyone, not just one person. Instead of making it feel impossible, he broke things down step by step and made it feel like we could understand it if we kept trying, as we play a huge role in our lives,” she continued.

“I used to think Earth Science was a boring class, but my teacher changed that mindset for me, and now I really enjoy learning about the earth and plants,” said junior Alyson Rodriguez. “Mr. Stuart has helped me a lot in Geometry, and helps me with things until I understand them.”

“The one project I won’t forget is finding your own reliable source in English class taught by Ms. Mihalo. My favorite teacher, Ms. Snively, makes assignments weighted, and makes me happy to learn,” said Long. “I used to hate science, but now I actually enjoy it and look forward to that class because of the teacher and the people there,” Xzavier Thomas Jackson said. “A lesson I won’t forget was in math, with my teacher, Ms. Eberhard, who actually knows how to teach, and it feels more fun and understandable. She would show easier ways to do the work instead of going through a whole 30-minute walk-through to get the answer.”

 A truly impactful teacher encourages you when you struggle, creates a judgment-free space, and leaves a lasting impression you’d still remember a decade later. “My teacher taught me how to be resilient and strong, and he told me to never give up,” said senior Jaiden Richards. “Three reasons I appreciate my teachers are that they are very patient and understanding, and that they help me see things which I didn’t see before. I’d also give a shout-out to Ms. Shannon McAteer. She’s really funny and fun to be around, carefree, and always knows how to make me laugh,” stated Richards.

 Ashlyn Alvarez, who is in 11th grade, said: “A teacher who has helped me a lot is Mr. Fadazzo because he has helped me a lot and the most and gives me good advice.” 

“My teachers encourage me not to give up by helping me understand assignments and not to be afraid to ask for help. Ms. Snively makes it easiest to answer questions, and she tells us not to be afraid to ask her a question, no matter how dumb it is. A memory I want to mention is how good a teacher Ms. Mihalo is,” said Long. 

“Ms. Pathapadu always encourages us to do our work and goes back when we need to. My teacher makes it easy to ask questions by actually explaining them to us and doesn’t judge us for it. If I were to write a thank you note, I would ask her if she remembered the time we took a picture for Halloween and when everyone sang Happy Birthday to Fatima and me,” reminisced Zebdi. “My teacher encourages me to keep going by believing in me, and she knows that I can do it,” stated Xzavier.                                             

“My teacher makes it easy to ask questions because she would rather we understand what we’re doing, rather than us be stuck on something and not ask,” said Ruiz. “She’s also very kind, and always happy to help, so I feel comfortable asking her questions. I would definitely thank her for making me more dedicated to my assignments, especially since it was an advanced class. I thought I would fall behind, but instead, with her help, she always encouraged and helped me keep up with my work. I definitely remember how she noticed my MP3 grade was way lower than my usual marking period grades because I was sick. I wasn’t able to finish my work, so she told me to go to Saturday Learning Seminar and gave me the time to do the assignments I couldn’t do, which improved my grade because she gave me the chance to. She thought of my future and knew I would benefit from a higher grade and didn’t hand it to me, but gave me the chance to work for it, which is why I think she’s a great educator,” Ruiz concluded.

The energy of a classroom can change everything, so what makes walking into your favorite class special, and how do teachers make each day start in a unique way? “The most creative thing Ms. Snively did to start a class was an assignment that included candy. When I walk into my favorite teacher’s room, I feel relaxed, peaceful, and comfortable,” stated Long.

“Sometimes during GYST (Get Your Stuff) time, he starts class with a question or real-world situation instead of just jumping into notes. It makes you think right away and wakes everyone up to begin,” said Brianna. “Something that makes my teacher unforgettable is how we as a class would have our funny moments, and she doesn’t put a whole bunch of pressure on any of us,” said Zxavier Thomas Jackson.

“My teacher brings us a topic we would think has absolutely nothing to do with AP Spanish that casually gives us a warm-up assignment related to it, like watching a commercial in Spanish or a Spanish music video. It’s a really fun and creative way to get us to interact,” stated Ruiz.

All of these students’ comments show how the little things can leave a lasting imprint on a student. Many teachers make big impacts on students, and they don’t even realize how much that moment meant to the student. Whether it starts with a simple lesson or a small moment of kindness, forgettable teachers leave marks that last far beyond the classroom, proving that the best lessons are the ones we never stop remembering.

We’d like to thank every teacher in this school for their dedication to making a real change in the school and improving our learning skills. Some students might not be very understanding or easy to teach, but Osbourn’s amazing teachers are always there to try their best and do their job by helping and showing students that they can do it if they apply themselves.