Nominated by: Samruddhi Ayachit

My name is Samruddhi Ayachit, and I am a current freshman in Nova Southeastern University’s direct medical program. I am originally from Palatine, IL, and I graduated from William Fremd High School in May 2019. Mr. Sanchez was my teacher for three years of high school. He was my honors biology teacher during my freshman year from 2015-2016, I was his intern for his honors freshman biology class from 2017-2018 as a junior, and I also had him senior year for Anatomy and Physiology from 2018-2019. On the first day of freshman year, I walked into Room 251 at the beginning of fifth period unsure of what to expect. I was an eager freshman ready to learn as much as I could. A strong memory I have of biology is centered around learning cellular respiration in class. Before he began to teach the chapter, Mr. Sanchez told the class it was a fairly difficult subject to master. Looking back, I realize that the only reason I understood the material and why cell respiration has become my favorite subject in biology was because of the way Mr. Sanchez taught the material. The way he explained biology concepts from start to finish made it very easy to comprehend. From then on, I have loved his teaching style because he knows how to relate the material to his students’ lives and always encourages them to ask questions in class. During my junior year of high school, I became an intern for his honors freshman biology class. My primary responsibility as an intern was to make sure the students were comfortable with the material that was taught in class. In order to meet this standard, Mr. Sanchez gave me ample opportunities to become a mentor for the students in class. Each time I lectured or led a lab, he told me which areas I did well in and also gave me excellent feedback on how to improve myself for the next occasion. This allowed me to hone my skills and become more comfortable as a leader. What I admire most about Mr. Sanchez is his ability to push his students to think critically and question what is placed in front of them. Regardless of the content, he always challenged and encouraged me to connect topics from different units. For example, last year in Anatomy, he always used to explain the general concept of one body system and connect it to another system. I strongly believe that this is what made the curriculum stick with me and also inspired me to look up more information about the material online on my own time. He makes his students excited to learn. Moreover, he is extremely passionate about his field. He ensures that no student leaves the classroom with uncertainty. He always makes sure to clarify anything that possibly might be confusing. It is extremely evident that he cares for his students and wants to share his passion for science with others. It is that same exact passion that Mr. Sanchez possesses that pushed me towards the field of medicine. Throughout high school, Mr. Sanchez showed me how impactful and applicable science can be upon an individual or society as a whole; this inspired me to choose healthcare as my future profession. Not only is Mr. Sanchez the epitome of an exceptional teacher, but he has always gone out of his way to help me in any way possible. In the midst of college application season, I knew I could count on him if I needed any help. He never hesitated to take out time out of his busy schedule to help me revise an application or look at my resume. I remember sending him an email during a weekend in January, asking him I could meet with him on Monday to prepare an application. He promptly responded with a resounding, “Yes, absolutely!” In addition, for one week straight, we sat down together during lunch and thoroughly reviewed common college interview questions. This put me at ease and built my confidence. I am forever grateful to him for this because he made sure I was well prepared and was able to give the interview my best shot. Even after application season, he continued to be a mentor when making my college commitment decision. He patiently listened to my concerns about picking a school and gave me exceptional advice. He offered me advice that will always stick with me: “Your internal compass has led you this far, continue to follow it! That’s what life is about--making sense of your internal calling.” On another occasion, he told me, “It doesn’t matter which degree you obtain. What matters is how you use it to become the best physician you can be.” I truly believe that this guidance helped me make my college decision and has continued to shape the choices I make today. With his guidance, I was accepted to and committed to my dream program: direct admit to medicine. Mr. Sanchez has continued to be someone I can turn to and look up to. I am so happy and grateful I have him in my corner as a mentor and teacher. High school was memorable because of him, and biology will forever be my favorite subject because of his passion and the way Mr. Sanchez taught it. I strongly feel that the academic foundation he gave me in high school enabled me to become a successful student in university. I am honored and privileged to have been his student for multiple years at Fremd. He has helped me and every student he interacts with. Although I still have a long road ahead of me and will be meeting many more teachers, Mr. Sanchez will forever be my favorite teacher. His dedication to his students’ successes is why he is deserving of this award.