Karen Yenofsky

While I have had the opportunity to have many great teachers, Ms. Yenofsky had the biggest impact on me. Ms. Yenofsky not only teaches students creative critical thinking but also encourages them to ask questions. Good teachers allow for mistakes in their classrooms, while great teachers expect and encourage mistakes. Ms. Yenofsky helps guide students when they feel uncomfortable with that imperfection. She empowers students to pursue their dreams. Ms. Yenofsky teaches her students how to learn for themselves, question the world around them, and grow not only academically but socially as well as emotionally. She embodies everything that a teacher should be. As an avid reader, poet, and animal lover, Ms. Yenofsky truly saw me. She used flexible seating methods to ensure every student’s comfort. Furthermore, she used a Socratic seminar-based teaching philosophy to engage students with literature. By enabling every student to engage each other in conversation, annotate their books using the signposts strategy, and think critically about the author's intentional craft, Ms. Yenofsky helped shape students into independent thinkers. The life skills that Ms. Yenofsky taught me have helped to influence my decisions every day. They have allowed me to advocate for myself, challenge my academic boundaries, and expand my understanding of the social-emotional balance that makes up life. I am forever grateful to have learned from such an amazing teacher.

Clay Davidson