By Amanda Ojeda and Ayesha Shaikh
This year we are saying goodbye to many wonderful teachers who have dedicated years of service towards Williamsville East High School and their students. Among this group is the beloved Mr. Harsch and Mr. Nogowski who work in the Engineering and Technology Department and Social Studies Departments respectively.
Mr. Harsch has taught children the fundamentals of engineering and technology at East for many years. Some of the classes he has taught include Design and Drawing Production (DDP) , EDD, and Multimedia. Through the course, students learn how to use Inventor, an application that translates student’s ideas into a 3D mechanical design, allowing for better visualization and execution. The course works through many projects throughout the year but some of you may be familiar with the marble maze project, and the current end of the year Ping Pong paddle project. Students first designed their paddle on Inventor, cut out the paddle from wood, and 3D printed their handles.
After years of dedication to his field and pupils, Mr. Harsch successfully taught students how engineering can be applicable in real world scenarios. Syeda, a sophomore who currently takes DDP, recalls the step by step process that he takes them through, making it easy and fun for students to understand. She also added that, “I wanna thank him for a great year and let him know that DDP was my favorite class.” Fellow sophomore Samuel, who took DDP last year, sends this final farewell: “Thank you for everything Mr. Harsch!” This is just a few of the many students that Mr. Harsch has mentored over the years, and on that note, shaped the future of engineering and technology.
Mr. Nogowski, best known as “Nogo”, joined East in 1995, and is retiring after 27 years here. One of the main classes he teaches is Ap US History. Teaching US history is no easy task, one would have to make sure they do justice to all the people that were involved in building the foundation for America’s history, while making sure it is drilled into students the crucial life-long lessons that were learned the hard way through our ancestors. In order to make sure the students don’t get overwhelmed with the information or get bored, Mr.Nogo always makes sure to integrate stories into his lessons, and make it as interactive as possible so that the students have an enjoyable time while still learning relevant information that is important for the coursework. Anjali Patel, a junior in one of his AP US History classes, talks about how “ I loved him as a teacher, and he always did an amazing job in making sure to highlight each aspect of American history that was crucial in helping to understand the how the society functioned as a whole at the time which was being discussed.”
Student’s who took his course may not leave his class remembering the exact date of the Gettysburg Address, but they will leave with a greater understanding of society, human interactions, and the driving forces behind our nation’s greatest issues and success stories.
