As the Class of 2016 begins the final quarter of their last year at McNicholas, they recall the memories they made as they walked through the halls of McNick, and the teachers and other faculty/staff that helped guide those footsteps.
Some of these influential teachers helped seniors decide what they want to pursue after leaving McNick. “AP Biology with Mrs. [Regina] Goines helped spark my interest in science to a new level and helped me decide what I wanted to major in college,” senior Kyle Timmons said. He continued, “English with Ms. [Emma] Colella and Mrs. [Angie] Noble have been influential in my life as well because they have made writing papers easier and more accurate. I will remember what they taught me for college and in the future as well.”
Senior Sally Daoud said she was most influenced by Theology teacher Mr. John Norman’s social justice class. “I like how students take this class their senior year because it challenges them to think about bigger and more important issues that we hear about in everyday life. This is fitting because as seniors we are going to go experience the world in a new way very soon and expanding our knowledge about real life issues will help us later on,” she said. She also said that she enjoys how Norman “leads discussions with great enthusiasm and insight. He makes us think outside our normal range, and I admire teachers who can really challenge their students.”
Senior Madeline Buhr agreed, saying that she felt the most influenced by classes where she was able to learn the most, and she mentioned Anatomy teacher Mr. John Chadwell. “He keeps it interesting and always makes sure we completely understood [the material],” she said.
Senior Nick Robben named Physics teacher and Robotics Club moderator Mr. Jonathon Spurlock and Theater teacher Ms. Teresa De Zarn as two teachers he was influenced by, both of whom he began building a relationship with his freshman year. “I have worked with Mr. Spurlock since my freshman year with my Robotics Club and have had him for Physics the past two years. He has helped me to quickly learn and develop problem solving capabilities that will help me in engineering,” he said. In the theater, Robben has worked both on and off stage, and said that not only De Zarn, but the McNick Theater as a whole, has helped shape who he is today.
Teachers can be influential in ways other than teaching students skills and helping them find their passions, and senior Nick Taylor realized this. “[Mrs. Barb] Gillming has been influential because no matter what kind of day you’re having, she is always happy and has a big smile on her face,” he said. He also named Administrative Assistant Mrs. Jennifer Tumser, saying that she “is always a nice person to talk to and really friendly” and that English Teacher Mr. Jeff Mulvey “is nice and energetic and can make your day by cracking a good joke.”
The McNicholas Milestone 