From patiently guiding us through phonics sets in kindergarten to explaining complicated formulas, and from mediating arguments between stubborn eight-year-olds to checking in with  stressed-out high schoolers, teachers are a huge part of a student’s childhood. 

At the end of the year, graduating seniors may look back on these memories with nostalgia, remembering the teachers who made a difference in their lives. Here are a few of the teachers that Pinewood’s class of 2023 wants to extend its thanks to.

Nate Martin: The teacher that I will miss at Pinewood is Ms. Linza. I’ve had her every year of high school, and every single time, I always looked forward to it. It was always one of my favorite parts of the day because of the bond we had and the bond she created with everyone else in the class. I really value those memories.

Daniel Blotter: Kyle Riches, because working with him and talking with him has been awesome and I have loved it.

Skylar Chui: While AP Chemistry was a difficult class, it was probably my favorite class I have taken in high school. Ms. Prestwood’s teaching and lovely personality was a huge part of my love for that class. Quick shout out to Mr. Jezak, Ms. Hemm, Doc, and Kiki. Thank you guys for always checking up on me and my Senioritis.

Emmett Smith: I’m going to miss Ms. Prestwood. She was a very awesome teacher and her class was always really fun. I took honors chemistry with her sophomore year and AP Chemistry with her junior year. She is the best, and I’m also majoring in chemical engineering because of her. I loved Mr. Green’s class a lot. I had him for AP Calculus AB last year. It was probably my favorite class that year, and it was a lot of fun.

 Alex Shieba: I’d say Ms. Vu and Ms. Blalock both have had a pretty significant impact on me as a person [and] me as an artist. [They] have both inspired me to keep going in art, even though I’m not majoring in it. Ms. Welze had a really big impact on me and my writing and reading.

Rachel Farhoudi: Ms. Hudson was just a really great teacher, and she definitely prioritizes us over the work. She never hesitates to give us an extension. She won’t ease up on you, but she’ll do anything she can to help you get there…she is thinking about our mental health. Mr. Kim made the [physics] class a really positive environment to work in. He’d give us stuffed animals, and the worksheets we did were always super fun and engaging. He tried to make sure we were around friends.

Niki Taradash: I’d like to give a shout out to Profe Rubalcalba. I had her for Spanish in my sophomore year after transferring to Pinewood. Even though I haven’t had her as a teacher since, I really enjoy seeing her and saying hi to her in Spanish.

Ashton Riches: You can tell Mrs. Eickmeier really cares about her students, and she puts a lot of effort into getting to know each person personally. It makes her a great teacher because we want to put effort into the class when we know she’s making an effort in our lives.

Samantha Hsiung: Ms. Pojarska taught me a lot about being ‘nuanced’ in my literature essays. I think she really made me rethink how an essay is supposed to be written. I want to thank all the teachers I’ve ever had at Pinewood, but specifically Ms. Wetzel, Mr. Jezak, Ms. Welze, Mr. Wells, Ms. Pojarska, Ms. Prestwood, and Ms. Strand for making my time at Pinewood so much more fulfilling. They’ve not only taught me so much about their respective subject areas, but also have shaped me into the student I am today.