Thanks Teachers!

Apparently this is teacher appreciation day or week or something like that. I was never a good student. I attended school for the social aspects and not for the education. BUT I would like to take some time to thank my teachers and I'm going all the way back to Kindergarten. Some will be omitted because I can see their face but can't remember their names. Some will be omitted because they didn't understand me as a child ;).

So here we go:

Mrs. Rakes - Thanks for helping me through my second year of kindergarten, I don't know why my first year of kindergarten teachers couldn't teach me my ABC's and how to color in the lines but you pulled it off. Success!

Mrs. Raines - Thanks for a great 1st grade. All I remember is the smell of the blue memiograph (sp?) paper.

Ms. Alford - My first year at LCA. Thanks for making me feel welcome and introducing me to friends that I still have today.

Miss Pearson - Thanks for a great 3rd grade year. I think I connected with you because my Mee Ma lived in Front Royal.

Mr. Welling - One of the best. I remember getting a swat in front of the whole class for not having my mom sign my homework assignment notebook. I didn't forget again after that. See spankings work!!

Miss Claiborne - You showed up the second half of fourth grade after Christmas break and we had now clue where our teach Mr. Welling went. You stepped in and took things over and I'm sure we didn't like you at first because we loved Mr. Welling.

Mrs. McKinney - just the school year before you were Miss Claiborne so thank you for bearing with us as we learned your new last name. I think a few boys in the class were mad that you got married.

Mrs. Matheny - You were stinkin awesome. You made us Peruvian food one day. Anyone who feeds me becomes my instant friend.

Mrs. Owen - You too changed your name on us during the school year but that was OK because you married our pastor so it was a smooth transition. You were fun and I will always remember you as a teacher who actually laughed and smiled in class.

Herb - You taught me how to put on a tie. A skill I use about once every two years now. You also taught me much about the Bible.

Mrs. _____________ - I'm leaving you out on purpose. You were the meanest teacher I have ever known in my existence and on this playground we call earth. I don't know why you were mean but our other two 6th grade teachers understood us and loved us.

Miss Elwell - You were my study hall teacher. You were the first teacher in my school career to send me to the principal. Not bad for a 7th grader considering my cutting up in school.

Mr. Tschetter - You taught me some math. You made me nervous because you were bigger than me. Of course at that age most everyone, including the girls were bigger than me.

Droopy - I can't remember your real name. But I enjoyed your history class.

Coach ? - I can't remember your name but you scared us into doing your English assignments. The only teacher I've seen make students do push ups in class for forgetting homework, including girls. You also tossed around the word, "whimps", which caused great respect from me. I still owe you a week in the weight room during lunch because I didn't do that book report but I was too scared of you to show up at the weight room.

Miss ? - I remember you had blonde hair and were fresh out of LU as an English teacher. You had me memorize The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe. I thank you for this. It is great to quote around the campfire and scare children with.

Mrs. Roberts - We had a love hate relationship. I loved to get you off track telling stories and you hated my shirt to be untucked and not wearing a belt and my hair touching my collar.

Mr. Klamm - You had some great stories for health and PE. Thanks for your patience in my area of throwing free throw shots. Thanks for getting to school early in the winter for indoor baseball practice. It was my advantage having two older brothers who also had you as a teacher/coach. They would tell me your stories and I would ask a leading question so you could tell us the story. I remember one where you and a friend strung up your own telephone line across the street....

Mr. Heinlein - Thanks for making economics interesting. Great class, all guys, fun times. Thanks for letting me live with you guys the last few weeks of school before heading back to Maui. Because of you I passed Mrs. Roberts final exam. You made me study and you checked the TV for warmth to make sure I had been studying and not watching TV.

Miss Newell - You played cassette tapes in class of Keith Green. I was diggin it! Thanks for being a cool English teacher. Sorry I wasn't a good student but I enjoyed your class.

Miss Reiderer - Thanks for teaching me science. If I remember correctly you had ukulele skills. Impressive. The view from your classroom of the pacific ocean was awesome which probably factored into me not doing so well in your class.

Mr. Tobita - Thanks for teaching us PE and Bible. I certainly enjoyed flag football and I'd have to say your outdoor classroom on Maui had the best views of any classroom I have ever been in. I loved Grandma Tobita!

Mr. Diment - Thanks for teaching Bible. Pilgrim's Progress, see I still remember.

Miss Carlson - for teaching me to type on antique WWII typewriters. I have mad typing skills because of you.

Debbie Clowser (sp?) - Happy times in your class our senior year at MCA. I think I'm getting your name right. I remember having to wash your car inside and out because we threw in lilikoi as we flew past you on the Hana Hwy. I also remember not going on the sr. trip because the last place I wanted to be was in NY or DC during January. Maui no ka oi.

I'm sure I'm leaving someone out but that's how it is with the memory when you get old. Speaking of which I'm now 44. How old does that make you feel?

Is there a point to all of this? Yes. When an adult invests into the life of a kid or teenager they are making an impact that can last a lifetime and possibly even eternity. Thanks teachers!

PS. I received good grades in college and grad school. I do much better doing school online. :)