Emilie Schwind, science

My alarm was set for 5 a.m., to catch the school bus by 6 a.m. to drive me to a school I had no intention of going to. As I walked through the doors of Kingwood Park my freshman year, I thought to myself “this is not where I belong, I won’t fit in.” I made my way up the stairs and got lost twice before I found the right class.

My schedule read: Room 2208, on level biology. I hesitated but walked up to the teacher and handed her the blue paper with my schedule on it. With one of the most genuine smiles, Emilie Schwind shook my hand and tried her best to pronounce my name correctly. After a couple of failed attempts I told her the correct pronunciation and she welcomed me in her classroom. I smiled back and took to my seat. While she gave her first day of school welcome to the class, I slowly felt the stress of the year fade away, instead I felt the warmth and security that Mrs. Schwind’s classroom brings. 

She lights up her classes with her cheesy jokes, her vibrant lessons and her attention grabbing class greetings.  Every morning I found myself looking forward to her “Happy Monday, everyone!” and that contagious smile that comes with it. 

That’s why when I saw her name on my schedule this year, I knew I was in good hands. As a senior, I proudly walked to room 2208 and handed her my blue paper with my schedule. Without checking my schedule, she checked my name off her list with a grin. “Welcome back,” she laughed as she pointed to my seat. 

Her class this year has been filled with new experiences, like painting a shirt with a dead fish or dissecting a squid and using its ink to write. I’m grateful to have had such an amazing teacher walking into my high school career and having that same amazing teacher walking out.