Every morning at Merton Intermediate School started off the same: my friend group and I waited impatiently outside on the steps to the building until the principal opened the doors to let the kids in. However, Friday’s (there were a few exceptions) in eighth grade were different. Most of the time I wouldn’t remember what day it was—that is—until I heard my name being called— “Lauren!” and I instinctively ducked as I walked into the classroom. A tissue box sailed over my head and hit the white science cabinets behind me and landed with a thud. I glanced down at the misshapen, beaten up, seen better days box. Across the room stood my best friend Leo with a smirk on his face in which he prepared for a counterattack. At a desk to the left of the doorway sat an older gentleman who wore a maroon polo and khaki pants, his attention once focused on his computer, is now to the two of us. His square, wired framed glasses sat at the end of his nose as he tilted his head upward. He laughed and said, “Good morning guys!”

This weekly occurance isn’t new to Mr. Rheineck and had expected our weekly shenanigans, yet he never sent us to the office or made us call home because of it. Mr. Rheineck’s personality could brighten up anyone’s gloomy day. From watching fail videos he put up on the board during our physics units to blasting oldies jams over his radio while piecing together our styrofoam atom projects, Mr. Rheineck made class entertaining, intriguing and of course, focused. Capital letters are the dominant alleles, and lower are recessive according to his bunny rabbit sketches on the board.

As an 8th grade student just learning how to pick up on my typing speed, I watched as Mr. Rheineck showed off while our class recited our science notes to him while he typed with lighting speed not looking at his keyboard or the screen. Our class “ooh”-ed in criticism jokingly as he made a mistake but “aah”-ed as he backspaced, corrected, and continued typing without breaking his glance at the class.

He spent time with me and my classmates one on one with our science labs. As he pointed out why my bunsen burner wasn’t rotating to the right to open up the oxygen release I questioned my intuition about the lab directions and he replied with, “No no! You know what you’re doing just fine.”

I looked up to Mr. Rheineck as the most intelligent teacher I had. What made him smart to me was the fact he never stuttered when teaching his lessons. He knew everything related to the unit we were on without needing his powerpoint. He taught me through science lab demonstrations, a balloon aflame from the contact with helium and fire along with singing along to the periodic table song.

Mr. Rheineck was my favorite educator I ever had because his positive and fun attitude never wavered. He’s encouraging, kind-hearted and absolutely amazing. I looked forward to his class daily and he made science the most fascinating subject to this day. Now and then he is a substitute for Arrowhead High School where I currently attend. I had him for a long term substitute Junior year for chemistry and I got start my day with the familiar “Good morning Lauren” I had heard everyday 3 years ago, but he doesn’t have to watch out for flying tissue boxes anymore.