I have had a lot of good teachers during my years in school, but the one who has had the strongest influence on me is Terri Dees, my AP Biology teacher. Mrs. Dees has changed the way I think about science. Since my career interests lie in science, the new perspectives that Mrs. Dees has given me are especially important to me and my future.

The first way that Mrs. Dees influenced me is through her efforts to show how biology pertains to the modern world. I have taken
AP Chemistry, AP Physics C: Mechanics, and AP Physics C: ­Electricity and Magnetism, but in those classes we never examined how topics like acids, springs or circuits relate to our world.

Mrs. Dees goes beyond teaching us the facts and mechanics, and explains why the material matters. From why certain fad diets are dangerous to getting immunized before traveling overseas, she has taught us how biology pertains to everyday life. Her unique way of teaching has made me not only realize how biology applies to the real world but also how all the other science classes do as well.

In addition, my class with Mrs. Dees has shown me that science is not static. Here we learn about cutting-edge, current research, such as epigenetics. As a matter of fact, the only extra credit Mrs. Dees offers is for us to bring in and discuss articles about current scientific discoveries related to what we have learned. Studying ­recent activity in the field is something I have not done in other ­science classes.

By teaching that science is constantly progressing and by getting me to think about how it affects the world, Mrs. Dees has already cultivated in me the mindset necessary for research and problem-solving in the real world. For this, I am incredibly grateful to her.