It’s finally almost the end of a long school day, and it’s time to head to H-Hall for sixth period AP U.S. History (APUSH) with Mrs. Heather Moore. Students trudge through the doorway, put their cell phones in the caddy, and plop down in their seats.

Exhausted by the previous five periods, Mrs. Moore’s microphone brings her students back to life as she never fails to rejuvenate them, overcoming the hurdle of sleepy juniors. Whether it’s her wholesome welcoming smile or her soothing voice, students feel at ease in the business atmosphere of APUSH. Each day in her classroom begins with either a Hamilton reference or historical background music as students ease into their table groups. 

Her classroom, decorated like a history museum, evokes awe when looking at all the things ranging from the portraits of each of the U.S. presidents on the wall to the pictures of various national landmarks and monuments to the stuffed Jefferson doll mysteriously balancing on the top rim of the white board.

In contrast to the boring textbook, Mrs. Moore has the unique and rare ability of storytelling and bringing history to life. Her lectures leave students on the edge of their seats, especially on Halloween when she tells the story of Tecumseh’s Curse. She is able to not only channel her enthusiasm to her students, but also keep them engaged with their reading from the textbook. 

Students truly grow in Mrs. Moore’s class during discussion sessions when she uses a deck of cards to choose participants. Each card corresponds to a student’s seat and with each one drawn, she pulls a student out of their comfort zone to act as a historian by sharing their analysis of historical documents with the class. Mrs. Moore then builds upon the student’s contribution and gets the rest of class engaged in the topic. She also motivates students to visit during office hours to find answers to their grueling questions. 

Mrs. Moore’s connection with her juniors goes above and beyond as she cultivates a bond unlike any other teacher, such as the time she prepared the class tea from the same tea company involved in the Boston Tea Party. While difficult to get through the tough skin of angsty juniors, her toy kitchen is always available for students to play with and de-stress. 

Mrs. Moore’s class has consistently helped her students push through the end of bleak school days and given them confidence for the AP test. We wouldn’t want to have any other APUSH teacher!