Educator of the Year | Teen Ink

Educator of the Year

May 8, 2017
By beemoon SILVER, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
beemoon SILVER, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
8 articles 0 photos 0 comments

For me, high school is my least favorite place to be, and causes me stress.  Going into my junior year at Arrowhead, I started at a new campus (Arrowhead is split between two campuses) and this made me dread school more.


I never made any solid relationships with any of my teachers (mainly because I’m quiet and just try to make it through the year). This year went down a different path than I would have predicted, and like my grades, it has significantly improved.


My study hall teacher and lunch supervisor, Mr. Pfeiffer, made me look forward to coming to school. He shows up to school everyday with a sweater vest on, his scruffy beard, black glasses, and a warm smile on his face waiting to greet all of his students.


Mr. Pfeiffer plays multiple roles at Arrowhead—not only is he the study hall teacher, but he’s also a lunch supervisor, and our football team's defensive coordinator. He has had a family legacy at Arrowhead. Our football stadium is named after his father Franklin “Pfeiffer memorial at Taraska Stadium” who was former coach at Arrowhead. Mr. Pfeiffer has been coaching high school football for over 38 years, and as a long time coach, his dedication to Arrowhead has continued on and off the field.


Although most may think a study hall teacher or a lunch supervisor could have little impact on students lives, he has impacted mine more in one year than any teacher has in my three years at Arrowhead. I talk to him everyday and he is interested in my life, and he always gives me advice when I have problems. When I was stressed out about the ACT and my AP exam, he knew what to say to calm me down. He told me that he knew I would do good, and that I can always retake the ACT, and just to try my hardest, because either way he was sure I could get into a college of my choice.


He’s a spectacular educator because he makes me smile, and because he genuinely cares about my life. He feels like a friend and he always asks, “How's it going, Moon?” He also asks me how my day is going, he reminds me to take tests I need to make up, he inquires about what I’m doing in my sports and what I’m competing in for track that day, and then the following day, he catches up with me to see how I did.


I’ve never felt like anyone in my school cared about my life outside of academics, and none of my teachers have tried to get to know me like Mr. Pfeiffer has, and that's why he is a excellent educator to me.



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