I was in the car with my dad, on my way to the first day of tenth grade at Arrowhead Union High School. I looked through my classes and my teachers, and in the first hour sat “US History.” It seemed like the perfect class to have at the beginning of the day. 

I walked in not knowing what to expect. I was excited to see my friends, some of which I knew were in the class with me. I sat in the seat I was assigned, and waited for the class to start. On the SMARTBoard was the day’s agenda, with a picture of a field sitting behind it. I thought maybe Mr. Herriot was artistic, and liked photos.

When Mr. Herriot started class, he seemed like every other teacher, going over expectations, and taking us through the syllabus. He had a deep but inviting voice, and was happy and excitable. I could tell by the way he taught that he loved the topic and was excited to teach us.

As the days went on, I knew more and more about Mr. Herriot not only as a teacher, but as a person. I could see around his room that he loved history. Throughout the room were cardboard cutouts of presidents and important figures. There were also posters and newspapers with important headlines. Alongside these were the pictures he would take on his trips. This made his room a great atmosphere to learn in.

His teaching also made for a great environment to learn in. He didn’t just teach in a monotone voice like a robot reciting code; I felt the emotion in his voice. I heard the happiness in the westward expansion, confusion in the Native American assimilation, and sadness in the great depression. He taught with energy I’ve never seen and remains unrivaled to this day.

Another aspect I liked in Mr. Herriot was his appreciation of effort. When I was given videos or documents to read, I would read some of them because I found them interesting, even though they weren't required. The next day he would ask a question related to the document, and if I knew the answer he would get a big smile on his face. His smile made me feel accomplished and proud of my work, and the extra effort I put in.

Mr. Herriot would have me awake and off to a great day by the end of our forty minute period. I was sad to leave Mr. Herriot come second semester, and I knew I would miss seeing him in his holiday hat. So thank you, Mr. Herriot, for putting a smile on my face everyday, and showing me the fun you can have when learning.