I waltz into third hour class my sophomore year unaware of who my teacher is. I sit down in my designated spot and eerily look around. Before I am able to fully assess my environment I see the man who I will soon call my all time favorite teacher. He is jubilant, with kind eyes, and a soft, but effective smile. “Hola clase. Me llamo Señor Gliniecki.” From this small and seemingly unimportant introduction, little did I know, this class would alter my plans for the future. 

Señor Gliniecki was my sophomore year, Spanish 3 teacher at Arrowhead High School and boy did he do his job well. He brought such life to the classroom and inspired me each and everyday to participate and be engaged as well as I could. To say he was my favorite teacher was an understatement—I looked forward to his class every day despite my neutral attitude towards the Spanish language. 

Going into sophomore year, I was not a huge fan of Spanish class. Sure, I continued it at an advanced level because I thought it would look good on a college application, but never with intentions to continue my studies after highschool. Señor Gliniecki completely changed that. His mixture of charisma, passion and genuine care for the language as well as helping/understanding his students brought me farther into the Spanish language than I could have ever imagined. 

It was him who encouraged me to apply to the Spanish Honors Society. 

And I got in. 

It was him who wrote one of my letters of recommendation. 

And I got into the college(s) I wanted to.

And it is him who sealed my decision to study abroad and pursue Spanish in college. 

I got in and I am never going back. 

Further than the immense fulfillment and sureness he installed in me about continuing my studies of Spanish, he was just an extraordinary human being. Like clockwork, when leaving class each day I would always say, “Gracias Señor.” and would be met with “Adios Kate” followed by a question about my life or how I was doing. He never took the easy way out or acted as though he was just getting through his day. He had a real concern for each of his students well being and that is a feeling I won’t soon forget.  

Señor Gliniecki’s humor, sensitivity, and kindness all impacted me so greatly then and even now.“Gracias” is simply never going to be enough to thank Señor for the belief he put in me and the drive to continue on my Spanish journey. Although this is true, I just want to say, Gracias Señor Gliniecki. Gracias por todo.