In a time like now where there is a worldwide pandemic, students are unable to finish the school year in person. And that means missing out on seeing teachers, maybe for the last time. The seniors at MCHS are gathering up their four years of memories and spending some time reminiscing about teachers. 

A few MCHS seniors were randomly selected to give a little insight on their favorite teacher and a couple reasons why. These teachers have left a lasting impression on their students.

One senior, Holly Kropke, said her favorite teacher in high school was Ms. Nicole Bolek, social studies. She said along with positivity, Bolek constantly makes her feel like she belongs in the classroom. 

Kropke said that she cared more about the other people in her class after having Bolek. She said something she will always remember about Bolek is how she cares more about what’s best for her students than the work in the class. Another thing Kropke loves about Bolek is the fact that she pushes each student to do their very best in her class. 

The next senior, Myles Roussos, thinks the best MCHS teacher is Ms. Kathy Szwed, social studies. He said best part about the class wasn’t the subject or the people, but her. She was always outgoing and managed to make every day a good day for Roussos. He said Szwed understood her students’ needs and put that before anything else.

“This was my freshman year, so there were some wild kids, but she never yelled. She tried to relate to us 14-or 15-year-olds,” Roussos said. However, it didn’t seem like kids took advantage of her niceness, they respected that she actually cared. Roussos said he felt like she helped him and all her students grow as a person, and in class. 

Senior Kenzie Morphew says her favorite teacher is Ms. Kathy Kipp, English. She said Kipp was different. Morphew learned many life lessons in her class, and Kipp made the class enjoyable. 

Morphew looked forward to a class that spread positivity and friendliness. He said one of the most memorable things about Kipp is her ability to care for others. She always took time out of class to get coffee from the REACH program. When doing so, she stopped class for a minute and talked to the students about their days. Morphew said she will miss Kipp’s teaching style most, and how much she cared for every single student. 

Mckenna O’Donnell said Ms. Karen Styrna, Spanish, has left an impression on her. This was O’Donnell’s favorite teacher because her energy and kindness were always genuine. Styrna opened the eyes of her students to see Spanish as an interesting subject. 

O’Donnell has chosen to minor in Spanish when she heads off to college, and that wouldn’t have happened without Styrna. She has guided her students so far, and she not only taught Spanish, but kindness. 

The next MCHS senior, Ryan Felgenhauer, had a favorite in high school as well. It was his history teacher, Mr. Matt Thomas. Thomas put the effort in to get to know a student. And then he cared for each and everyone like his children. Felgenhauer says that he made him feel like a good student. He made class more interesting with fun activities. He said Thomas left a big impact on him personally, and Thomas is someone he won’t forget. Above all else, Felgenhauer will miss him as a person and going to his class with a positive attitude.

Finally, Seth Lehr, choose Ms. Ann Rapsky, English, as his favorite teacher from MCHS. She is different than any other of Lehr’s teachers. He said she engages with the class and each student. She had an easy-going teaching style which made learning fun, but still effective. He said the class as a whole always seemed to be involved. Rapsky has left an impact on Lehr, and he knows her as a trustworthy staff member who teaches kindness to all. She talked through anything the students didn’t understand and always kept their best interest in mind.

As these MCHS seniors are saying their final goodbyes, it is important to remember that it wouldn’t have been possible without the love and encouragement of teachers.