Often, many of our faculty and staff members do not receive the recognition they deserve. One of the many staff who I believe deserves a spotlight is Kim Van Gessel. Ms. Van Gessel is a teacher at Canyon in the math department who teaches AP statistics, precalculus, and honors geometry.

Although I am a freshman, Ms. Van Gessel has been one of my favorite teachers. She is such a genuine person and always does the most for her students. If you ever get stuck or need help, she is more than willing to walk you through it!

Upon being asked about her inspiration to start teaching, Ms. Van Gessel explained she “always enjoyed working with children and have felt one of the biggest rewards is being part of their learning journey.” She has always done her part in helping students when needed, which is part of what makes her such a great teacher!

Learning spaces in classrooms are important as well. When asked about the learning environment in Ms. Van Gessel's classroom, Itzy Lopez, an honors geometry student, stated, “The class always feels welcoming because of my peers and Ms. Van Gessel's constant support; it's a place where I can strive for success.”

Outside of teaching, Ms. Van Gessel is also a coach on Canyon’s Track and Field team! She focuses mainly on pole vaulting and long jumping. Managing multiple different classes while coaching for a sport is not an easy task, but Ms. Van Gessel makes it work. She always ensures her students are learning, whether she's there or not.

As the year ends, Ms. Van Gessel hopes her students remember her “as a caring and supportive teacher who truly listened to them, believed in them, and encouraged them to be the best version of themselves.”

Ms. Van Gessel has been nothing but supportive all year round. As a freshman, I think having and receiving this support from a teacher your first year of high school is very important towards self-confidence and wanting to actually learn.