Struggle makes the man, and his creativity makes a world of difference. Michael Hall’s passion and strength makes him the best educator I have ever had the pleasure of setting foot in the same building with. Mr. Hall inspires his students to strive for better and to think bigger. He doesn’t just teach the course, he teaches his students about opportunity and risks.
For years Mr. Hall has taught at my school, and each day is something new. Mr. Hall’s influence is so extraordinary that students often call him “dad”. It’s not hard to see why so many students would refer to him with such an outstanding title. Officially, Mr. Hall teaches “Digital Media”, as in programs like Photoshop, adobe illustrator, garage band, etc., which, when I first stepped foot in his class, I thought would be the death of me because I knew very little about computers at the time. Mr. Hall’s class seems sort of “hit or miss” at first, it takes creativity, and a unique quality not very well developed as teens in this generation, Mr. Hall brings this quality out of his students, exposes it as if it’s a precious gem shrouded by a cold, unforgiving stone, this quality is perseverance. By the end of the first day I knew Mr. Hall’s class would change my life forever.
I will never forget my first month in his class, Mr. Hall taught me how to explore and adapt to the infinite possibilities at my fingertips. He showed me if I could imagine it, I could create it, if I can create it, someone will love it. He started me in Photoshop and I never looked back. He pointed out a few tools and told me “play with them until you understand them, and then use them to make something that makes you happy”, and I did. I continued to use those tools throughout my next few creations. Devotion leads to creation, creation leads to pride.
By the third month in Mr. Hall’s class he was telling me he needed to get me into a school for digital arts. Mr. Hall believed in me like no one else had before. Sure, my parents would attend band concerts and what not, but that was the fullest extent of their support. Mr. Hall believed I could go somewhere with my talent. Later that month I started making logos for a company that builds racecars called “DeVS” to be used as a sign for their building for all of their customers to see, then they asked for a t-shirt design, and they loved both of them. Mr. Hall pushed me to create and taught me to appreciate my creations, learn to love them and display them with pride.

Without Mr. Hall, I would have never found out that I could be successful in life with my talents, I would’ve gone to college for something I hated, just to try to land a job that paid well but drove me crazy. Mr. Hall taught me to pursue my passions, and that if you love something, someone will too. That is why I call Mr. Hall “dad”. A bond like this is extraordinary in a student and teacher relationship, and that’s why Mr. Hall is the best educator I have ever met. Mr. Hall doesn’t just teach “Digital Media” he teaches creation, perseverance, and most importantly, pride.