You wouldn’t expect to walk into a classroom right after lunch only to find your teacher is giving away candy, for free! But this was a recurring scene in my U.S. History class last year, taught by none other than Mr. Ron Reichle. As much as I already enjoyed learning about history, Mr. Reichle made it that much more entertaining...and with candy!

     As hard as it is trying to get high school sophomores after lunch to be quiet and ready to learn, Mr. Reichle was quite good at that. With his deep but echoing voice, it was nearly impossible to not hear Mr. Reichle. Combined with his tall and towering figure, Mr. Reichle won the attention of everyone he addressed.

     Instead of starting off class demanding attention, Mr. Reichle would rather tell a story or something he had heard about since the class’s last meeting. This refocused our minds and made it easy to transition into classroom material. And it doesn’t stop from there. Even during a typical classroom discussion, Mr. Reichle always had a story relating to what we were learning. For example, he taught us about Polio and how there used to be a vaccination for the dreaded disease. Next thing you know, he lifts his sleeve up and shows us his giant scare, where he claims he was one of the last to receive the Polio vaccination. Neat! Simple connections like this made it easy to understand key concepts taught in class.

     When it comes to history, many students have a hard time listening to all of the historical events that have happened in the past. But not in Mr. Reichle’s class! Mr. Reichle always related real world concepts back to those of the past, again making it easier for us to learn. And if we (as students) had valuable information to contribute, he would always stop what he was saying and let us explain or question something. His value for helping us as students learn was unmatchable, demonstrating his true character as a leader, as a teacher, and as a friend. Dedication like this isn’t found often.

     But Mr. Reichle isn’t just a U.S. History teacher. Being a dad isn’t easy, but a father of two kids as a full time teacher? That is one skilled individual! Mr. Reichle also manages to run Arrowhead’s Key Club, the largest club in the school geared toward volunteering at events across Wisconsin. He is also the founder of the Integrated Learning Experience or ILE--a combined learning program of English, Science, and Social Studies. Being apart of the ILE last year was the greatest decision of my life--and yes THE greatest! Filled with interesting projects and creative assignments, Mr. Reichle made ILE fun for every individual, including me.

     Teaching is definitely harder than it looks, but Mr. Reichle is a true professional. He is a selfless individual, devoting his time to the kids here at Arrowhead High School with an open heart and mind. I think it’s safe to say Mr. Reichle is the best. He’s the key, unlocking our potential to succeed down the road in life. I’ll still never forget these days from my history class, and it’s all thanks to Mr. Reichle. Thank you for being the best teacher I’ve ever had!