By Joey Pickus, Current Writer
As the class of 2021 gets ready to graduate and to really think about college, there are a lot of teachers that have helped these students through their high school careers to get to where they are and where they will be in the future. The willingness of some teachers to make sure that their students learn their course and succeed in their future often gets overlooked due to other important factors to help a student get somewhere, like family and friends, for example.
Teachers can help in so many different ways. For Alex Shim, a senior at River Hill, Ms. Topus was the most impactful teacher in his high school career. Alex describes, “she was the first River Hill teacher that introduced me to the school sophomore year.” Alex switched from Sherwood High School to River Hill after his freshman year. Switching schools can be very tough and Mrs. Topus was able to help him feel more comfortable with his new surroundings. Alex also goes on to say, “if she was having a bad day you wouldn’t have been able to tell”. Similarly to students, teachers also have a lot going on outside of school and they need to put it aside to do the best they can to help their students succeed at school.
A bond between a student and teacher can go a long way to help a student out. Senior Trevor Donnely shared, “I had a very strong connection with Mrs. Irby, who I had for two out of my four years”. Building a strong bond with a teacher can be bigger than just grades and learning, as many teachers can offer advice about colleges, jobs, and shared interests.
The impact that teachers have on a student’s success, both in the present time and future, should be more appreciated as it is often overlooked. Without the extra efforts of teachers, lots of people wouldn’t be where they are today.