“I need help,” I said to Mrs. Koch, my junior chemistry teacher from Arrowhead High School, when I got to her classroom early before school with questions. She welcomed me in, as she always does.

 She is a devoted teacher as well as a caring, dependable, and warmhearted person. Inviting anyone who needs help understanding the difficult criteria her chemistry class holds, Mrs. Koch is very generous with her time. I never liked chemistry but Mrs. Koch added enthusiasm to every single class that I showed up to. 

The first class I had with her, she called out my name for attendance and paused after she read my last name. “Kelcey, do you have a brother?” I said yes and she informed me that he had been one of her students and followed up by asking how he has been doing. I answered, “He is doing okay.”

I called my big brother after school and told him about my encounter with my chemistry teacher. “I loved Mrs. Koch!” he exclaimed, even though he never liked school–at all. In fact, he hated it. Every morning before we left, I had to drag him out of bed so we could make it there on time. He never went to college; so when he tells me he loves a teacher, it means a lot. Especially because I look up to him, even with his flaws. 

After attending my chemistry class several more times, I started to understand why my big brother felt that way. My brother and I were both diagnosed with ADHD and because of the way Mrs. Koch taught her class, she hardly ever lost my attention. 

Mrs. Koch made me feel noticed in a full class of people and smart even when I got the answers wrong. She gave me hope and motivation to actually learn and understand the content in chemistry. 

Even though I have a different teacher for my second semester, I still take advantage of the mornings she leaves open before school. Whether I need to ask a question or just sit there and work in the comfortable warmth of her presence. 

Energetic, inspiring, and loving are all characteristics of Mrs. Koch that I think most people who know her would agree with. To me, she is not only a valued teacher but also a passionate person who cares about her students as she would her own children. She never fails to put a smile on my face and I am so very appreciative of her.