Angela Risch

Making my way into Lake Country School was nerve wracking because this was a whole new school, a whole new chapter of my life. Since I used to live in Milwaukee going to a Catholic school, this was completely different because I knew nobody. There wasn’t a church in the school, and the curriculum was very different. As soon as the bell rang and the door shut, I entered a whole new world of different students who would soon be my new friends. I’m very grateful that she should me to my new friend group. We started off doing the normal introduction where you say your name and then what you liked to do. However, you had to say something you liked to do that started with the first letter of your name. As soon as Mrs. Risch said “with a twist” I knew this class was going to be fun and different. So we went around the room saying people's names and I found my friend group who I am still friends with today. I was and still am friends with a lot of kids at my old school but I made so many more friends and established so many relationships that I after a while I wasn’t very scared. It was like I had been at the school since kindergarten because I would always talk to everyone. In class we also had people go up in front of the class and we had to tie things to what we like to do at the time to our family and how they inspired us or if someone else in our family taught you how to do the activity and you instantly fell in love with the hobby or sport. She also had us make connections to different relatives and how what we were learning in class related to things they did in their lifetime or other people you personally know. Since it was the fourth grade, the friendships were already established and normally I wouldn’t accept everyone but there were a few kids who I instantly got along with. They are still my friends today and I have found even more friends in my first year of high school alone. This is because of Mrs. Risch teaching me ways to meet people and understanding what it is like being with new people you don’t know and being accepted makes a huge difference in the way they feel about other people or finding people who will like you. This teacher has impacted my life so much by making me feel welcomed at the school and in class. I was never afraid to ask questions or talk to her about my first experience or having her help me meet new people and I thank her for that. Mrs. Risch, I am very grateful that I had you as my first teacher in my new school and thank you for everything you have done for me.

Charlie Cerwinka