By Rayan Ahmed
Even two hallways away, you’ll be able to hear Dr. Ayer’s loud music. Every day, he greets students at the door with the biggest smile and asks “how’s it going?” to every student passing by.
By the time the bill rings, everyone is feeling uplifted, and the morning tiredness is replaced with energy. While his loud music definitely wakes us up in the morning, it’s his positive energy that really lifts the classroom.
Dr. Ayers is the kind of teacher people look forward to seeing every day. His teaching style is unbeatable. He invests so much time into helping his students reach their full potential and constantly encourages them to keep going. Even when AP seminar gets overwhelming, he’ll pull up a chair at a group’s table, leaning in to help answer a question until the student’s confession is resolved. His high spirit keeps us uplifted and excited to continue learning. One of the things we look forward to the most is the group games.
At the beginning of the year, Dr. Ayers splits us up into Douglass, Whitman, Twain, and Dickinson, these groups then compete in games like Quordle throughout the year to earn group points. After each game, Dr. Ayers tallies up the points on the board, but those points mean more than just points. Those games set the tone for the classroom where you actually want to show up and engage. Having Dr. Ayers as my AP Capstone teacher is truly the best. To me, you haven’t had the full City High experience until you’ve taken a class with Dr. Ayers.
By Lily Sheerin
Mr. Hellwig is one of those teachers where you can tell that he absolutely adores his job. He has been studying history since high school, specifically the Civil War, and was even involved as a Civil War reenactor for a little while.
He made me interested in the same thing, so much so that I used my spring break to go see Civil War battlefields. He carries a huge wooden rifle around the classroom during lectures because he “feels like it”.
He interrupts his own talking to tell stories or go on side rants. He makes the topics interesting enough, even if we’re talking about cash crops and oil, and he always makes sure that he attempts to make us laugh a few times a day.
It’s by far my favorite class, and he has helped me feel plenty prepared for the APUSH test this Friday. I’m encouraged to study and learn content on my own, and I look forward to it every day.
By Andrew Hayek
Mr Hellwig teaches many classes at City High School. He has been teaching for over 20 years and is really passionate about what he does. I first experienced his magic during my first day of freshman year, at first I was really scared of his class. Many upperclassmen and other students had told me how hard his class was. These things that were told by them weren’t entirely true, yes the work is hard, yes, you’re expected to do things out of class, but that’s just 50% of his class. Mr Hellwig truly cares about what he teaches; his class isn’t just about doing homework and taking hard tests. His class is about learning about interesting things and important events that have affected who you are today. Because he cares so much about what he teaches, he makes learning fun, involving many games and simulations to further deepen your knowledge. That’s why I picked him as my favorite teacher.
He makes one of the hardest AP classes fun, even though he could easily do the bare minimum, but he chooses the extra step. My best examples of this are literally most days in his class, we take notes that would normally be really boring in other classes. But the reason Mr Hellwig is so special is because he puts extra effort into boring things like this, like adding extra stories that he knows we will find interesting and showing us cool videos on what we’re learning about.
But besides his teaching skills, he also understands the challenges of being a student, especially with other things going on besides education. Like during the week of homecoming, he made sure we would have no homework over the weekend. Another thing like this was whenever we were supposed to have a test or big assignment on a special day or week, he would do whatever he could to make sure we did it either before or after it. Like the week before spring break, we were supposed to have a full DBQ started and finished by the end of it, but Mr Hellwig decided to push it to after.
Moments like this represent Mr Hellwig’s character greatly, as a great teacher who truly cares about what he does and who he teaches.
By Maya Bidanis
How can you not want a teacher that supports you through your grades, sports, home life, and honestly cares about your well-being? Well, I’m lucky enough to have a teacher who does all of these things not just for me, but for all her students. Michaela Moel is the dream teacher. She always makes a smile appear on my face. No matter how my day has started, she always makes sure to end it better.
With one daughter and another on the way, she knows very well how to deal with kids, and being a teacher, she’s prepared for those teenage years that will come sooner than later. Mrs. Moel teaches Earth and space science to 9th graders and she also coached softball, which brings me to how we met. The summer of my 8th-grade year I tried out for the city high softball team. Closer to the end of our season, we were in need of another coach. You won’t believe who stepped in.
A short, blonde-haired woman, who was unknown to the 16 girls, circled around her, announced that she was the new assistant coach to our team. She came to the team with an energy that impacted us instantly. She pushed us to do our best, but didn’t do it with a mean demeanor, instead with a smile. As the season went on, all of us grew fond of her presence and felt comfort in her coaching skills.
As the season came to an end, we were more than grateful to have a coach, Michaela in our life. Fast forward to my first day of high school. Roaming the halls with my fresh schedule, constantly checking to make sure I have the right room number, I stumble into my second period class. To my surprise, Coach Michaela, now known as Mrs.Moel, welcomed me with a joyful smile into her science classroom. I couldn’t have been more blissful to see a familiar face. As my freshman year goes on, I continue to learn more than just softball and science from her. Because of the lessons in and out of the classroom, she has pushed me to be the best student I can be, and shared her acknowledgment with me by nominating me for the city high EPIC award. Each teacher gets to pick one student who they see working hard and showing leadership. Mrs.Moel chose me, but little does she know the reason I have these ethics is because she taught me how to be the student I am today. Without Mrs. Moel, I wouldnt be able to achieve anything that I have in this past year. This is why Mrs.Moel deserves any recognition.
By Ben Caster
When you think of the words fun and amazing Ms. Moel covers them effortlessly. When a teacher teaches science not all of them have the greatness of intriguing the kids and helping them learn eye to eye. But unlike any teacher, Ms Moel has her specialty of turning boring units into super fun and interesting lessons getting kids in the classroom to look forward to science daily.
Her daily patience with people and effort to help kids learn around the classroom is elite. She also goes out of her way to help her students with their work and understand different science topics. You would think after having 9 months of a teacher that you couldn’t feel like you had a connection with them personally but Ms Moel has a way of welcoming everyone going from a teacher that helps you to a welcoming friend you could talk to for hours.
You could also never catch her in a bad mood. Her bubbly and sweet personality fills the classroom up with a different kind of calm and chillness that you rarely see in other classrooms. She only has 1 expectation for people to get their work done, then they can do anything else they want after that. Another sweet thing she does is she lets kids cool off by going outside to get some fresh air or to walk around to move their legs.
She is having a baby in a few months so she will sadly be away from the classroom for the rest of the year. Her sparkling personality and helpfulness will be deeply missed around the school and by her students until next August.
By Hazel Schluckebier
Room 3108 is a classroom that students flock to. Located on the third floor, you can always find a crowd of students circulating in and out. While the students may change, one thing never will; Mr Rogers’ smiling face and welcoming demeanor. He pushes students each day whether that’s writing journalism stories outside of their comfort zone, taking artistic photos, or just getting their work done on time. He has been creating award winning journalists for years including those who won prestigious awards like the Bobby Kennedy Award and Best of SNO stories of the year. While these awards reflect his students prowess, none of it would have been possible without Rogers mentorship.
“When I came into the journalism class on the first day of school, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Mr Roger’s helped me understand exactly what needed improvement with my writing without making me scared to get questions wrong,” Hazel Schluckebier said.
When getting feedback from teachers, it’s important that they don’t make you feel attacked. Roger’s does an excellent job of enhancing your writing skills while still encouraging you throughout the process.
“I like how lenient Mr Rogers is with work. He gives you time to complete it and I think that some of his assignments are super interesting. I particularly enjoy when we read the news every single morning and I add to my flipboard because it’s nice to read about what is going on in the world,” Audrey Howe said.
In school it can be hard to find meaningful work, but Rogers’ work is interesting and pushes students to expand their knowledge. Whether that’s learning how to edit on Adobe Light Room, creating radial blur photos on Photoshop, or using Deep Research to learn more about a topic, these projects correlate directly to the journalism columns that students strive to create.
“He keeps you in check and makes sure you get all of your work done. He wants you to be your best self and pushes his students so that they never fall behind,” said Chris Davis.
In the world of journalism, it can be easy to fall behind. Students are sometimes assigned three separate columns per week, along with light room edits, student cutouts, and the creation of newspaper pages. They are also supposed to attend school-related events outside to take pictures and get interviews. It is certainly time-consuming, but when the work is fun it doesn’t feel like a hassle.
“Foundations of Journalism is absolutely my favorite class. I love the work and I love the teacher. I couldn’t imagine not being in one of Mr. Rogers’ classes this year,” Schluckebier said.
Mr Rogers’ is an elite teacher at City High and if he continues on the path he is on, he will continue to create award-winning journalists and a positive journalism culture at TSTL.
By Peyton Lynch
Mrs. Hefly has made a meaningful impact on her students through her role as a Spanish 2 teacher. From the start of the year, she has created a classroom environment that feels welcoming, supportive, and encouraging. Learning a new language can be challenging, but Mrs. Hefly makes it easier by explaining concepts clearly and making sure every student has the opportunity to understand. She is patient and takes the time to help students when they are struggling, which shows how much she truly cares about their success.
One of the things that stands out most about Mrs. Hefly is how helpful she is. Mrs. Hefly always makes herself available to her students. She never makes anyone feel embarrassed for not understanding something right away. Instead, she encourages students to keep trying and reminds them that learning takes time. This kind of positive environment helps build confidence and makes students feel more comfortable participating in class.
Mrs. Hefly also does a great job of making Spanish engaging and interesting. Because of this, her class is not only educational but also enjoyable. She uses different activities and teaching methods that keep students involved and motivated to learn. Students are more willing to put in effort when they feel supported and interested in what they are learning, and Mrs. Hefly creates that kind of environment every day.
Overall, Mrs. Hefly is a teacher who truly makes a difference. Her patience, helpfulness, and commitment to her students create a positive learning experience that many will remember. She is greatly appreciated for everything she does, and her impact reaches far beyond the classroom.
By Isabelle Brockett
Mr. Peterson is a new math teacher at City High, teaching Geometry and Algebra 1, but you wouldn’t know he is new based on how he runs his classroom. From the start, he created an environment that feels structured and relaxed, where students can focus and do work without feeling overwhelmed. Math can be a stressful subject for many people, but he has a way of explaining it that makes it feel more manageable. He is very patient, clear, and doesn’t make someone feel bad for asking questions, which makes a big difference in how people feel in the classroom.
What stands out about him is how he pays attention to students as people, not just as students. There was one day when I was having a really bad day. I was stressed, distracted, and honestly not in the mood to even be at school. Even though I didn’t say anything, he noticed right away that something was off with me. The first comment, are you okay, showed me he cared. Instead of ignoring the problem. He checked in with me quietly; it wasn’t anything crazy or dramatic, but just that moment of him noticing something was wrong lifted my mood more than I expected.
Throughout that class, he maintained a positive attitude, which made it easier to focus and feel better. Whether it was the way he explained the assignment or the energy he brought to class, it has made me take my mind off of everything. By the end of the class, I felt a lot better than when I had first walked in. It showed me that his class isn’t just about math, it’s a place where students can feel supported even on the days when things are difficult.
Overall, Mr. Peterson has already made a strong impact as a teacher at City High. He maintains the teaching material well, creating a positive environment, which isn’t always easy to do. Moments like that day showed me that he really does care about his students and wants them to do well, whether it’s with academics or personally. Even though he is a new teacher, he is the kind of teacher that students respect and feel comfortable around, and that is something that sets him apart from other teachers.
By Benjamin Haines
One teacher I appreciate is Mr. Doug Lestina.
Even though I’ve never had him in an actual class, he’s always been a beacon of efficiency and professionalism in a way that I really admire. My first real impression of him was when he was teaching the cast of Begets stage combat, and I thought, Wow, that is not a guy who’s worried about looking goofy in the process of creating cool art.
I also admire his honesty, particularly when it comes to my work. For example, when I made a seven-minute-long trailer for SITR, Doug’s reaction to it was something along the lines of, “It’s just not a trailer.”
However, about a year later, when I made a 90-second Urinetown trailer, Doug complimented the trailer’s briefness, and also noted that–for shits and giggles–he had just revisited the SITR trailer and that he’d made peace with it.
It’s his honesty that makes praise like that stand out. I also will always be grateful for him writing two letters of recommendation for me when I’m not even a senior yet.
By Audrey Howe
Ms. Eivins is a City High School world language teacher, and my personal favorite. Welcoming students every morning and afternoon with her same bright smile and ‘Hola!,’ she creates a positive and inviting atmosphere. Students feel comfortable coming to her for help, knowing they’ll be met with patience, encouragement, and understanding.
“Learning Spanish has always been challenging for me, but Ms Eivins takes a different approach to learning than my previous teachers, like doing more hands-on activities focused on memorization. This has really helped me further expand my Spanish abilities,” Andrew Hayek ‘29 stated.
Ms. Eivins fills her classroom with interactive games and engaging activities, making sure students are not only learning but actively involved in the process. Any student who has Ms. Eivins is set up for success. If you don’t do well on your first test, she encourages you to try again, because she truly believes in your ability to improve.
“During my first couple of tests, I did very poorly, which made me believe that Spanish wasn’t for me. But after constant retakes and checking my grades 24/7, it finally clicked, after Ms. Eivins encouraged me to retake, no matter what your score, and to never be embarrassed by what you got,” Hayek ‘29 said
Ms. Eivins is the blueprint of a supportive, encouraging, and ideal teacher when learning something outside of one’s comfort zone. She creates a classroom where mistakes are seen as part of growth, not failure, and where every student feels capable of improving. Through her engaging activities and constant encouragement, she makes even the most challenging material feel approachable and able to be completed.
“My experience with Ms. Eivins as my Spanish II Honors teacher has been nothing short of fun and has helped me develop my Spanish skills immensely throughout the school year. I encourage anyone who is thinking of joining honors not to shy away from it because they have a high chance of getting the wonderful Ms. Eivins,” Jaxson Le ‘29 said.
By Coden Kurtz
As the bell rings for the 3rd period, I walk in with a smile on my face, excited for AP World History. Mrs.Dickson starts class with the same sentence every day, “I need you in your assigned seats in 5,4,3,2,1,” in a musical voice that starts the class off the right way.
Mrs.Dickson is one of the most lighthearted people you will ever meet; she is extremely nice and caring to every single one of her students. Not only does she have many personal stories that relate directly to what we are learning in class, but she also matches her clothes to the class. For example, when we were learning about the Silk Road trade routes, she wore a beautiful silk robe to school, bringing some Chinese porcelain to go with it. Instead of just making us copy down notes, she makes history feel real by connecting it to her own experiences and to the world around us today.
Even on busy days when we have to write an essay or take a long multiple-choice test, she brings joy to the room, telling everyone they are going to do great. She makes sure everyone is doing their best while also making sure that they are having fun while doing it.
Mrs.Dickson doesn’t just teach AP World History; she makes students enjoy learning it. Her kindness and passion for history create a great classroom environment that helps students enjoy the curriculum. At the end of the day, students don’t just leave her class ready for the exam but also excited to come back to class the next day.
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