There were no windows in the room.  And  every step sent a funky smell further into my nose.  Chemistry: a class filled with confusing charts and chemicals I’ve never heard of.  Sick to my stomach, images of our teacher raced through my mind as I tried to piece together what a person teaching this class would look like.  But all at once, they vanished as our teacher Mr. Antony walked through the door from the chemical and equipment room. 

He was a cheery old man with snow white hair, a stained lab coat, and goofy lab goggles.  Instantly, all the other predispositions I had fluttered off.  Thirty one students, myself included, smiled back as he said, “Good morning, class!”

As we said it back, there was a baffled stuttering in my voice, “go-ood morning... Mr. Antony.  This man didn’t seem dreadful or mean in the slightest.  He looked as though he was my grandfather coming back from watering his spice garden.  And from then on, chemistry was my favorite class.

I walked happily everyday to my fourth hour chemistry class knowing Mr. Antony would be waiting for the class with a smile on his face.  Almost every class, he would start out with an explanation of our to-do list and share why it was important or relevant.  And at the end of class, he’d fire out a question to everyone, asking if we were doing all right with the material.  None of my other teachers did this. 

I felt awful as soon as Mr. Antony explained his constant shaking was parkinson’s disease.  That amplified even more when he said if his shaking was ever a burden on our learning in class, he would stop immediately.  I thought it was remarkable he even offered such a suggestion.  But that’s the kind of man Mr. Antony is.  He always wants to give students the best possible education and was pleased to do so everyday. I didn’t know anyone else that cared more about someone’s right to an education than he did. 

Mr. Antony made time for his students.  In the morning, in the afternoon, at lunchtime and pretty much everywhere in between, he was glad to help.  I struggled in the middle of the semester when topics became more in depth, so I came in almost every morning and worked with him.  Chemistry turned into a topic of fascinating interest that made a difference in my work ethic towards the class.  He made chemistry and my other classes feel like adventures, discovering and learning something new everyday.

I will always count on Mr. Antony to help further educate myself and many other students that get the pleasure of meeting him.  Which is why my generous, nice and funny spice-garden watering chemistry teacher, is my favorite educator.