I have always hated school, it’s just an environment that never worked for me. So when my junior year started, the so called, “most important year of school”, I just couldn’t care less other than getting it over with as soon as possible. 

I went on to the first day of school, speaking as little as possible and sitting in the back of class incognito until the bell rang and I could go home. It went on like this most days until I got to AP Statistics where I met one of the most interesting teachers I have ever had: Mr. Olenchek.

Olenchek was one of the goofiest, most animated, and intelligent people I have ever met. He always kept class interesting by throwing in jokes so bad they were funny and interesting stories from years of teaching, like the time he was able to steal a pair of symbols from the band room to use for a comedic bit. 

For all of first semester, I enjoyed the class and it was one of the few moments in my day I didn’t dread. Throughout this first semester I also learned just how overqualified Olenchek was for a high school teacher. It’s a remarkable thing to me that I got a teacher that was so well versed. I ended up getting an A in his class first semester since I actually enjoyed going to class and participating.

The second semester wasn’t great for me. I just became burnt out of school and didn’t feel motivated; I wanted to go back to bed and do nothing all day. Because of this my grades started slipping; I wasn’t doing any work, and for the first time in my life, my test scores started slipping as well. I remember dreading going to school even more than usual because it all felt pointless. Since I am usually the quiet kid though, nobody batted an eye because it just seemed like the usual me.

That was, except for Olenchek. He realized I wasn’t doing well and he was the only one of my teachers to approach me after class and make sure I was doing fine. He knew something was wrong and made sure I knew what to do. He seemed to be the only teacher that understood my difficulty not with work or rigor, but with a struggle to care. And most of all he was calm and reserved, not angry and frustrated like most teachers when work isn’t done. Even if he did this to all his students that were struggling it still means the world he would check up on people he knew could do it. It was right after that moment when I started to improve again. Going back from D’s and C’s on tests back to A’s. I don’t know why it did but that short meeting caused me to care just a little bit for my academics. 

I’ve never had a teacher as unique, as creative, or as knowledgeable as Mr. Olenchek and I’m thankful for having him as a teacher as he taught me how to be a better student and gave me a reason to do well in a class that I haven’t ever had.