What sets a teacher apart? Is it their personality or teaching style? AHS students and teachers say it’s both. 

Freshman Blake Wood said that Mrs. Hedegaard-Moreno “brightens my day.” She said Hedegaard-Moreno “eases us into things during class” and has a “gentle” teaching style. Wood is currently in English 1 with Hedegaard-Moreno. She said her teacher has a “positive” attitude and is always excited to teach. 

Industrial Arts teacher Noah Widrowicz described his colleague Dexter Dodson as “very open-minded and a team player.” Widrowicz said Dodson is a teacher that he looks up to. Dodson was helpful when Widrowicz moved to Atlantic, and has helped him adjust his program and adapt to the bigger school. 

Sophomore Gage Gross said that a teacher who he is thankful for is Mrs. Bacariza. “She helps me with my homework.” He is in Bacariza’s English 2 class. Gross also described Bacariza’s “hands-on” teaching style and credited this to his passing grade. 

Mrs. Hedegaard-Moreno said a coworker she enjoys being around is Mandi Brauer. She described her personality as “kind, helpful, and honest.” Hedegaard-Moreno also said Ms. [Rebecca] Wallace has positively impacted her life since she’s been at AHS, “ I look up to her.”  

Sophomore, Cadence Kinzie said aviation teacher Mr. Smith “helps me with a lot of assignments that I don’t understand.” She took his aviation class last year. Smith doesn’t have any specific teaching styles that she identifies; Kinzie simply likes Smith as a teacher, and how he connects with students. 

Mandi Brauer said that all teachers were easy to work with on some level. Some of the traits she appreciates are “communication” and “trusting each other.” A teacher that Brauer looks up to is Allison Berryhill. Brauer said, “She always asks about your day and gives advice.” 

Starting with Wallace, Berryhill said she is “so fun.” Wallace and Berryhill previously shared posters with each other from across the courtyard. Berryhill also said Brauer “is kind and has a big heart.” Berryhill referred to Brauer as having “south” personality traits. (A “south” can be referred to as a caretaker or helpful person.) Berryhill described the English department this year as having “good chemistry,” “trusting each other,” and saying they can be “vulnerable” together.

Berryhill has worked alongside Liz Huggins and Luke Johnson in the past. She said they are both “brave advocates for all students.” Huggins’ and Johnson’s “boldness gave me more boldness,” said Berryhill.