A lot of students have favorite teachers, but not many get to spend all four years of high school with them. 

Those who do, like senior Levi Guermonprez, gain a unique perspective on a rapport with not only their teachers, but their peers as well. After taking four years of German classes with teacher Keri Haberer, Guermonprez knows a little more about it than most. 

“I have created good friendships with my classmates and (teacher) Frau Haberer over the years,” Guermonprez said. 

Over the span of four years, students and classes have time to change and evolve together. Gifted facilitator Lori Schock has taught Reality 101 and Pre-AP and AP English to the gifted class of 2023 since their freshman year. 

As a teacher, she recognizes the changes that her students go through and how they mature throughout high school. 

“What I get to see… is the students go from 15-year-olds who think they know everything to 18-year-olds who know they don’t,” Schock said. 

Not everyone who begins a class their freshman year continues through their senior year, though. 

“I only recognize a handful that have made it through all four years,” Guermonprez said. “Some students either find other passions or don’t find the subject interesting, sadly.” 

However, those who do stay in the classes often find their experience incredibly rewarding. 

“Taking any language class for four years should always expose you to other languages and cultures,” Guermonprez said. “Finding fluency by spending four years in German has opened my mind to new ideas and made me more open-minded overall.”