The 9:00 A.M Battle by Mackenzie

The 9:00 A.M Battle by Mackenzie - January 2025 Scholarship Essay

Every school as a teacher that everyone knows. Whether the teacher terrifies annoys, motivates, or enrages you depends, but every school has one. I cannot describe my annoyance when I discovered that I was scheduled to have that exact teacher my junior year for U.S History. For context, in the honors track there was to U.S History teachers: The quiet one who didn't assign homework and the one who makes you write all your essays on paper and can be heard screaming two hallways away. I got the screamer. He was assigned to my first hour. So, say goodbye to what I hoped would be an easy year, I entered his class and sat in the back row furthest away from his desk. I had a few friends next to me and hoped that the teacher would not be awake enough to scream at 9 in the morning.
Fortunately, I was wrong. When people told me that he was known for yelling and slamming his hands on desk, I assumed he had anger issues (jury is still out on that). However, I learned my mistake when he started his first lesson. U.S History begins around the American Revolution, and let me tell you, I have never met anyone in the whole world as passionate about George Washington and Benedict Arnold as Mr. Fortschneider. He would walk through the aisles of desks, screaming about "The Cause" and how the Yankees came to triumph. I had never liked history and it still is not my favorite subject, by I was genuinely excited for lectures everyday. That teacher did not help my find my secret love for American history but I received an even better lesson. I have not yet determined what I will be doing for the rest of my life, but I am certain that I want to be just as passionate as him. I am in no way a morning person, but I hope that when I find my dream career I will have the same passion and energy as Mr. Fortschneider does without a cup of coffee. His lectures and passion have shown me a clear example of what I want my life to be and for that I am extremely grateful.