Over the duration of more than a decade of schooling, many teachers have come in and out of my life, each one leaving a mark, some more memorable than others. The most memorable and inspirational of all my teachers is a man of stature, knowledge, intellect, and blunt honesty: his name is Mr. Krill. Many of the academic and life lessons that are permanently engraved into my mind are those taught by him.

I remember the day I met Mr. Krill, it was my sophomore year of high school and I had just been placed into A.T.O.M.S (Advance Technology of Math and Science Program) Biology a week into the school year. I stepped into the class and immediately thought after seeing and talking to him, that he sounded like a doctor and looked like a Skeletor with his bulging eyes and tight skin. On my first day he gave me a thick packet that enlisted the “How To’s of Krill,” such as: how to write notes, how to write lab reports, how to write a heading for all assignments and etc.. There were so many “How To’s” I could have sworn I saw how to rob a bank, Mr. Krill’s meticulous work load and tendencies to go into long lectures made my first impressions of him harsh and skeptical, which started our student-teacher relationship on the wrong foot.

For the first semester I did things my way, ignoring the “How To’s of Mr. Krill,” making my grade plummet. Due to my mother’s countless threats of bodily harm after receiving my report card, I began following Mr. Krill’s instructions however pointless they seemed, and discussed with him ways in which I could improve my grade and pass his class. Instead of taking my daily naps in his class I actually listened to his long mostly boring lectures, I even surprised myself by writing notes. I began studying for tests and handed in my homework and lab reports on time. Certain days when the class would not feel like writing notes, we would ask Mr. Krill numerous questions, and he would always answer each one with sincerity.

During my last semester of the year I grew fond of Mr. Krill; he was the kind of teacher who cared more for effort than instantaneous knowledge of all things biology related; he was the kind of teacher who would stay behind to help students with class work, even if only one student showed up. In class he would share stories of his father being ranked second to last in his graduating class, telling us that even though his father may not have been the brightest bulb in the pack he had good common sense and was a hard worker, who provided for his family. Mr. Krill shared stories not only of his family, but also of himself. Whether it was about the excruciating injury that ended his football stardom and his pursuit of becoming a Physician’s Assistant (which lead him to becoming a teacher), the lessons of how a man should treat a woman, or the tale of how he met his wife. His words were always heavy with meaning and thought, he didn’t sugar coat things for his students well being, instead he exposed the truth for them to gain knowledge that would help them in the future.

In conclusion as I reminisce on everything I have learned from Mr. Krill, the most important of his lessons was that of obstacles. With each obstacle one may face, lies two paths, the first is of defeat and regret; the second is of courage and diligence. Mr. Krill inspires me because of his courage and diligence in the face of every obstacle that has come his way; he always chose to fight for the things in which he sought after, rather than laying cowardly in defeat. I know that when I depart for college the first thing that I will pack is my “How To’s of Krill,” it will remind me that listening is a humans best attribute, and to push through each obstacle that life puts in my way. I thank Mr. Krill for his words of wisdom, his patience and astuteness; he is not only inspiring but commendable in his entirety.