Hannah Twitchell and Linsey Choun By Brittani Langland
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langland.brittani@gmail.com
oming into a German II class her freshman year, Hannah Twitchell ’15 was very intimidated. The class was mostly comprised of juniors and seniors, and the stress of entering high school was on her shoulders. “It was really scary, not knowing anyone or really what the whole year was going to be like, along with learning a different language,” Twitchell said. Upon arriving to class on her first day of school, Twitchell was first introduced to her German teacher Linsey Choun. At the time, Twitchell had no idea that she had just met one of the people who would significantly impact her high school experience. However, right away, Twitchell enjoyed being in Choun’s class. “She made everyone feel at ease, and made the new ninth graders feel more a part of the family that she had already created,” Twitchell said. “I see it again this year; [she makes] her classes more of a family, rather than a class.” Due to small class sizes, the German program allows the students to stay with the same teacher for all four years. This grants the teacher and students more time to connect with each other on a personal level, and Choun takes full advantage of this.
“From day one, I initiate the importance of honesty, trust and security,” Choun said. “Learning anything new for the first time is exciting and also very terrifying all at the same time.” Choun encourages students to make mistakes and learn from them, and to trust themselves inside and outside of the classroom. She also values the importance of being comfortable with who you are. This advice that Choun gave, along with the atmosphere she provided, created a deep personal relationship with Twitchell. This trust and friendship even allowed Twitchell to come to her when she needed support. “At the end of ninth grade, my mother tried to kill herself, and I was having a really tough time, but she was there to talk with me,” Twitchell said. “She had some life experiences from other family members and from her own troubles in her life, [and] she was able to be there for me in a way that some other people couldn’t.” Not only has Choun been able to help her, but Twitchell has also been helping Choun cope with the recent announcement that the German program will be cut from ICCSD schools in the next few years. “I have cried in her class a lot, and when she was talking to us about losing the class that I have come to see as a reprieve from the day, it was really hard and I cried a lot,” Twitchell said. Countless memories have been
made in Choun’s German class. “The elimination of this program cannot take [the memories and experiences] away from me or any one of [the students],” Choun said. This positive attitude is the same one that Twitchell has admired for her three years at West. “I look at it like this: my life has never been an easy one,” Choun said. “I could go into the father who suffered from drug and alcohol abuse and my mom who battled cancer during my childhood, but the past is the past. My mom always reminded me that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. While -Linsey cliché, it’s true.” This friendship found in a German classroom has been through a lot together. It has even inspired Twitchell to continue her German career past high school. “She is an amazing young lady,” Choun said. “Her smile and positive demeanor reminds me every day, especially on more challenging days, that while life will [bring] what [it] may, we all have worth.”
“Her smile and positive demeanor reminds me every day, especially on more challenging days, that while life will [bring] what [it] may, we all have worth.” Choun, German teacher