I remember signing up for my classes at Arrowhead during the end of sophomore year—worried about my success. Junior year is supposedly the most important year of high school academically, and I was filled with worries about Chemistry. I’m a logical person, so I enjoy math and most sciences, but biology was a struggle because it wasn’t logical. It was hard to picture, unlinke physics and math where I can see the applications. Chemistry appeared as another science class I was going to struggle through. A class about molecules and elements I can’t see with my own eyes.

After only a few weeks of junior year, my concerns were gone. Mrs. Koch explained the topics I stressed about with energy, logic, and passion. I realized Chemistry is logical and easy to understand when you have the right teacher. Without Mrs. Koch, I could have never understood the complex topics and properties the course covered. Mrs. Koch drew examples and the pictures on the board, breaking down each topic we went over into something much simpler, while explaining not only how reactions occur—but why, giving everyone a deeper understanding of what’s actually happening.

I appreciate everything that Mrs. Koch did to make me successful. Not only did she teach me Chemistry, she engaged me and shared her passion of Chemistry. 

I looked forward to her class each day, even though it was early in the morning, I was intrigued, motivated, and ready to learn. Everything that Mrs. Koch does in her class is to make students better off, giving up her own time to help students that missed class or are having trouble understanding. She taught us about famous chemists with excitement- as if she knew each one of them. Because of her, I’m no longer afraid to get out of my comfort zone with new courses and experiences. I’ve realized that trying out a new subject or experience can lead to a new passion or hobby.