Great teachers don’t just teach— they inspire, encourage and empower. At CHS, teachers go beyond what’s learned in the classroom. They create a safe space where students can go to seek help with work, or even if they need to talk about something that’s been bothering them. These teachers are more than just teachers; they’re role models and mentors for the students at CHS.
“Mrs. Hugg has taught me a lot of lessons,” Ashley Sherwood (‘26) said. “She’s taught me that you have to deal with hard things, and you have to deal with people who you aren’t always going to get along with. But, you have to try and meet them halfway.”
Not only do math teachers like Heather Hugg teach valuable lessons, but they also contribute to other important aspects of students’ lives.
“She’s someone that I can just go and talk to,” Sherwood said. “I can just walk in her room and be very open with her and just talk to her. She’s someone that I can trust and know that she’s always going to be there for me if I need help with something.”
Having someone who you can talk to and count on is such an important part of development, especially in the stressful years of your high school career, so it’s really important to have a teacher who you can go to for help or just anything you need to talk about.
“She’s always been there for me. Especially my sophomore year when I tore my ACL, I missed a lot of school, but she was always right there to get me the help that I needed,” Sherwood said.
While Mrs. Hugg is inspiring to many students at CHS, she’s not the only teacher who has taught students valuable lessons inside and outside of the classroom, that not only impact their personal life but the lives of others.
Ms. Maines instilled in me the importance of taking into account as many viewpoints as possible when making decisions that have a direct impact on others,” Jordan Nelson (‘25) said.
One thing that sets many people apart from others is when they show interest in getting to know a person and their interests. Not only does history teacher Andrea Maines teach valuable lessons about interactions with others, but she also takes into account the students she’s teaching.
“She made a serious effort to get to know us all as people, usually through staying up to date with our personal lives, and even attending performances and games,” Nelson said.
Getting the support that you need is a really valuable thing during your high school years. Unfortunately, many students aren’t able to get the support needed to finish out their high school years on a good foot, but this isn’t the case for Nelson.
“She has made me feel like I had a ‘home base’ if I needed advice on projects and even on my college essays,” Nelson said. “She followed very closely during my student council campaigns for Junior Class President two years ago, and Student Body President this year. She gave me advice and encouragement on running an effective campaign.”
While Nelson found his support and lasting impacts through Ms. Maines, Carter Malone (‘27) found his support through another teacher here at CHS.
“Ms. Findlay always made me feel welcome. She was really nice so that made me feel happy and want to work my hardest in that class,” Malone said.
As we’ve been taught our whole lives, kindness can go a long way, and that is exactly what Anne Findlay does. Teachers treating their students like real people makes a real difference rather than just seeing students as someone they teach.
“Ms. Findlay always went a step further to connect with me, rather than just seeing me as another student,” Malone said. “It felt like she was a friend.”
Some students have only had a teacher one time throughout their high school career, but having teachers multiple times has proven to build stronger connections between students and their teachers.
“I’ve had three classes with her out of the 30 I’ve taken, so that’s a big fraction,” Malone said. “But I’ve really enjoyed all the classes I’ve had with her.”
