Junior year of high school. The words that come to mind are stressful, sluggish, and struggling. The outlier to these feelings was Mrs. Sagal's Adventure Gym class. It was the highlight of my day because the words that described her class were supportive, successful, and spirited. Some think the people in the class determine whether it is good or bad, but in my opinion, it’s the teacher. For example, one semester I was struggling with math, and the teacher was nice but lacked engagement throughout the class. I ended that semester with a C-. The next semester I had a different teacher who was very engaging and you could tell she was passionate about math. I was actively understanding and learning which made a huge difference. I ended that semester with a B+. 

My point is that a teacher, boss, or even coach can make or break a class, crew, or team. Mrs. Sagal made my class fun. She got everyone involved, even people who have been known to sit on the sidelines. Her classes are competitive and challenging but in a good way. She sees where everyone is at and pushes them right outside their comfort zone for personal growth. She never forces you but is always your biggest supporter. 

Last year I was struggling in school, my personal life was a huge factor so I never really loved the idea of coming to a place where I felt I was a failure. Well, Mrs. Sagal's class made me feel like what it feels like to have a 100% on a math test you didn’t study for. I felt happy for those 80 minutes of gym class and I loved her class so much that I am taking it again senior year. 

To conclude Mrs. Sagal is retiring this year and I am so glad I got to be a part of her teaching career. We need more teachers like her who care about their students and want them to succeed. The positive learning environment made it easy for me to talk to people and I have made a lot of good friend connections because of it. Thank you for being the teacher and so many others needed!