History is notoriously one of the most hated subjects—it is often dubbed “exceedingly boring.” People generally just are not interested in learning about seemingly irrelevant things that are far in the past. But in Mrs. Moore’s class, history comes to life in a new and fresh way that wouldn’t be possible without her engaging lectures.

Mrs. Moore is able to turn history from the tiresome, tedious subject that so many students think of an interactive experience. Her lectures captivate her students, allowing them to learn and invest in a quest for knowledge and analysis. She constantly pushes students to synthesize from different eras of history and figure things out on their own. For the most part, students are successful, but only because of Mrs. Moore’s pure, unadulterated passion for history.

There’s a distinct quality in the way Mrs. Moore lectures that is unparalleled. It’s not particularly tangible—rather, it’s apparent in the sparkle of her eye as she speaks, in the way she walks around to all the corners of the room, and in the smile she uses to greet the class day after day. It’s how her enthusiasm for history is constantly imbued into her students, fostering a thirst for knowledge among everyone in the room.

If there’s one thing that Mrs. Moore does exceptionally well, it’s telling stories. People usually think of history as mere facts and numbers and statistics, and it’s so easy to forget that there were real brains and hearts and souls behind each decision that shaped the world today. Mrs. Moore artfully brings each character to life in her lectures through her entertaining skits, varying voices, and character names. Students learn not about Thomas Jefferson the 3rd President of the United States but about Thomas Jefferson the father, politician, husband, slave owner, and complex human being.

This level of personal connection that Mrs. Moore provides for her students is invaluable. She often assigns students roles— “Chelsea’s living the yeoman farmer ideal and has 12 kids” — and these interactions and engagements allow students to relate to the content on a higher level. It also makes it so much easier for students to have those iconic lightbulb-going-off “OHHHHH” moments, complete with widened eyes, loud gasps, and dead silence as everyone ceases to type. Mrs. Moore knows exactly how to get these reactions out of her students as she smirks and says something she knows is a connection, watching them make that connection on our own. Learning in her class isn’t just a course; it’s a challenging and wholly enjoyable experience.

Mrs. Moore is so much more than a typical history teacher— she’s become so many students’ history “moms” and always reminds her students that mental health comes first. Motherly and passionate, caring and diligent, Mrs. Moore is the teacher who can lift students’ moods faster than she can correct herself from using passive voice.

-Sandi Khine, 11, Pow Wow, News Editor