Purple Haze
An apple for the teachers
By Lauren Bagian

Oct. 1, 2009

Last year I was taking Honors Pre-Calculus, an impossible feat for an English oriented individual. Struggling through quizzes left and right, giving up on my homework half-way through, I had already defeated myself. In need of some serious help, I found myself sitting outside my teacher’s classroom at 6:50 in the morning with my nose buried in my textbook, furiously attempting to find specific questions that I did not understand. Glancing away from my book, I saw my teacher’s shoes from my position on the floor.

“Good morning.” I said, looking up to find him smiling down at me. “I need help.”

Throughout the next few weeks I would go home, do my homework and return the next morning a little bit before 7 a.m. before school began to go over the problems I could not tackle on my own. Patient the entire time, my teacher explained everything three or more times, blank stares being his only response from me, until I finally began to grasp it all. Thanks to that dedication, I received much higher grades on my next few quizzes, accompanied by high-fives.

Take this little anecdote as a tribute to those who care. Most of Northern’s staff members go above and beyond their job descriptions. Over my 3 complete years at Northern High School, I’ve seen teachers write unbelievable numbers of college recommendation letters, act as personal tutors and even serve as emotional support. So, the next time you see or hear of a teacher being extraordinary, remember how lucky you are to be in the Northern York County School District because dedicatedand caring mind-sets are job requirements here.