Junior year: possibly the biggest obstacle any high school student has to get through. The classes are difficult, the ACT and SAT have to be taken, and GPAs either drop or rise. At Arrowhead, junior year means you get to leave South campus, and move on to North campus (which holds the juniors and seniors). This is where I took one of the hardest classes I have ever attempted: chemistry.

I walked into Mrs. Koch’s chemistry class ready to strap in for a difficult ride. Science and math have always been a struggle for me, so you can imagine the fear of walking into Mrs. Koch’s clean, white classroom.

I sat down in my assigned seat, and Mrs. Koch began her lecture. She spoke in a soothing voice as she went over the syllabus and started a lesson on balancing equations. My feeling of panic vanished and was replaced with comfort. I thought: maybe chemistry won’t be so bad after all.

Mrs. Koch took a subject that seemed impossible, and made it interesting. How did she make one of the most challenging classes entertaining? By having a passion for not only what she teaches, but also for helping her students.

She also could make any lesson enjoyable. I remember one day we learned about some of the elements. Instead of talking our ears off about the reaction that occurs when mixing one element with another element, she showed us. Mrs. Koch stood in front of the classroom, and with one swift move the puddle of water on the middle of the lab table lit up into blazing orange flames. Just as soon as she started it, she extinguished the fiery, flickering flames. I will never forget how reactive alkali metals are.

The biggest thing that stands out about Mrs. Koch is how deeply she cares for her students. Despite her thorough lessons, I would still need help. Stoichiometry was a hurdle so high it was impossible to jump, so I came in often for help. Mrs. Koch welcomed me in with open arms, and never made me feel anything less than smart.

One day, I came in during my lunch period for help. Mrs. Koch knew I had lunch and was concerned I didn’t eat.

“I don’t want you to be hungry, would you like a granola bar?” she asked me.

I often skipped lunch to get help in different subjects, but I have never been asked about how I was doing as a person. Not just how I was doing academically. This simple question showed that Mrs. Koch cared about more than my grades, she also cared about my well being.

Junior year: the biggest obstacle any high school student has to get through. My junior year was tough, but Mrs. Koch was a light that helped make a painful subject a little more bearable. I will never forget her enthusiasm for not only chemistry, but also for helping her students succeed. Mrs. Koch doesn’t only care about what letter you can earn on top of a test, she cares about you as a human being. Thank you Mrs. Koch, for making my life a little brighter during such a dreary time.