Nathan Schultz

As a 11th grade student I was not expecting much coming into the new school year with a new teacher. From the very first day Mr. Schultz made an impact on not only me but my peers. Our first assignment was to draw a picture of what we thought a tree looked like. Of course everyone thought of something different. For some it was the basic cartoon tree, for some it was a palm tree, and some drew a pine tree. The point of this assignment was to show that not everyone’s thinking isn’t gonna be the same and if it’s different that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. This one assignment helped set the feeling that as long as we did our job of participating then that’s all that matters. In almost every class there’s always just one specific answer to things. That’s not what Mr. Schultz taught. When we had Socratic Seminars he encouraged new ideas and challenged us to think outside the box and be respectful of others ideas and thoughts. Not only has Mr. Schultz helped his students not be afraid to be challenged and voice their options but he has also actively been interested in our lives outside of school. Everyday when I come into the classroom he asks us how we are doing. When he notices that something is just not right for a student he talks to them to see what the problem is. Numerous times I’ve seen and experienced Mr.Schultz being so understanding and accommodating of his students and their different situations understanding that many of us juggle school, work, helping family, sports, and our social lives. Overall I don’t think there’s a better teacher to receive this award. To many of us, Mr. Schultz is not just a teacher who dictates our grade, he is a trusted adult whom we can go to talk about things in and outside of school.

Kierstin Sticha