School has always been a bit of a struggle for me and having ADHD was the primary reason for this. I had a hard time focusing in school, especially in boring subjects. Because I wasn’t fully engaged in these subjects, I often became distracted and didn’t know what was going on in the class. I was juggling hundreds of ideas, constant thoughts, and sensations, which meant I couldn’t concentrate on conversations, homework, or classes.
I wasn’t looking forward to sophomore year’s fourth period because it was my least favorite subject... social studies.To me, U.S. history wasn’t anything interesting.  On my way to the first day of class, I thought to myself, this class was going to feel like it was going on for an eternity.
Shanna Hechimovich was my second semester, U.S. History teacher. I remember walking into the classroom and being greeted by Ms. Hechimovich with a grin that beamed like rays of sunshine through the clouds on a rainy day. As soon as class started, she introduced herself and I noticed her enthusiasm, love for the subject, and positive atmosphere.
The summer between my sophomore and junior year, I went to Washington, D.C. for eight days. I was excited for it, but also nervous because  I knew nothing about any of these monuments, nor did I have any intention of learning about them and we would be visiting the national monuments that represented our country’s historical events.
When Ms. Hechimovich started our class on the first unit, her teaching style made it interesting to me. Her voice would raise, she would have hands-on activities, and her energy was prominent. As the semester progressed, I found myself begging for periods 1-3 to be over and rushing to 4th period because, for the first time, I wanted to learn about our country’s history. She always made class fun with different activities such as coloring a map, playing games, or watching movies/video clips. I noticed that her enthusiasm made my brain focus more. What a miracle!
I don’t think she realized how much she helped and influenced me just by sitting in that classroom everyday for 40 minutes. I looked up to her and her positive attitude was enough to get me through each and every day.
I never felt the need to go in for extra help because I understood what was going on during class. She helped me learn how to pay attention by keeping me engaged, calling on me for answers, and having fun. I was thrilled to see the A+ on my report card next to the words, “U.S. History.”
Ms. Hechimovich wasn’t just a teacher to me; she became a friend, an inspiration, and someone I could trust. I was so proud of myself for the accomplishment of the A+ in that class and I will admit, it was a good feeling to be able to correctly answer every trivia question the tour guide asked my group when I went to D.C.
I would like to nominate Ms. Hechimovich for this award because her dedication to teaching and her passion for the subject caused me to enjoy a social studies class. Her daily smile and happiness was contagious and made everyday so much better for me. I would like to thank Ms. Hechimovich for everything she did for me. She will always be my favorite teacher and role model at Arrowhead.