This week the staff of The Rambler reflected on the best teacher they have ever had during their academic careers. Read about the educators who have made a difference in their lives below. Then comment to tell us who the best teacher you ever had was and what made them so great.

Mr. Vicary
My favorite teacher would have to be Mr. Vicary. Mr. Vicary is not only a great teacher, but he is also a great guy. He really showed me the right ways to draw and make ceramic projects. Mr. Vicary is one of the most beloved teachers at Prep. I have made some of the best memories during my high school career while in his class. If you were lucky enough the to be in one of his classes, you know just how valued his classes are. Mr. Vicary really exemplifies a great teacher.

Mrs. Shambaugh
The best teacher I have ever had was my 7th and 8th grade English teacher, Mrs. Emily Shambaugh, at Our Lady’s Christian School (before it changed to St. Jude’s School). She was always our best friend, along with being a great teacher. She knew how to keep the atmosphere of the classroom upbeat, along with being laid back. She would take us outside on days it was warm, and we still managed to get our work done, even though she was looking to have fun. When class was over, we would move the desks and play soccer in the classroom with the hover ball she had on her desk. Even though she was fun, she was also a great teacher and mentor. The workload wasn’t light; we always had stuff to do. She also was there for us to talk to her about personal things whenever something was going on. In 8th grade when we would get back from our classes at Prep, we would go in her room with our Sheetz food and drinks, and just hang out. She will always be my favorite teacher of all-time, and we still keep in touch to this day. 

Dr. Buczek
My favorite teacher ever was my freshman Latin teacher, Dr. Buczek. The reason he was my favorite was because it was such a fun class to go to. I knew every day going into that class that I would have a good time. The fun antics we did were great as well as the magic tricks Nick Cacchione did.  The way he gave tests was also very nice because everyone did well. I feel like I learned so much Latin my freshman year because of the way he taught class. He taught class in a fun way which made everyone learn. 

Mr. Markley
My favorite teacher that I have had at Prep would have to be Mr. Markley for chemistry. It was a tough class, for me at least, but whenever I struggled, Mr. Markley was there for me. He was also such a nice guy and had great plans for the class period. 

Mr. Geankoplis
This is a tough one for me. Over the years, I’ve had many great teachers. but my favorite all-time teacher would have to be my 7th Grade STEM teacher, Mr. Geankoplis. He was a really funny guy and didn’t just teach us about science or math, but also about things in life in general. He taught us how to navigate bodies of water, how to sail, and gave us ancient coins as prizes. The same year I had him, he decided to retire and sail the world. I’m glad I was able to have him before he left. 

Mrs. Worline
This is a really tough question because I have liked a large majority of teachers I’ve had in the past. If I had to bring it down to one, I’d pick Mrs. Worline. I had Mrs. Worline for Advanced Geometry my sophomore year and I have her this year for calculus. Mrs. Worline keeps all of the notes relevant to our homework and all of the homework relevant to our tests. We also have Pi Day, which is by far the class of the school year. If you haven’t experienced Pi Day, you haven’t experienced a good math class. Shoutout to Mrs. Worline the G.O.A.T. 

Ms. Kelly
I think my favorite teacher of all-time is my third grade teacher, Ms. Kelly. We went on many field trips, and she liked to go outside, so a lot of times we would have fun outside rather than stay in the class. She really liked to read, and she was the first teacher that sparked my interest in books. On my birthday, and everyone else’s, she dedicated the entire day to celebrating, instead of doing class work. Overall, she had a balance of fun and class time that made everything new and interesting.