John Sand was one of the most influential teachers, and people, I have ever met. Having him for two years during high school, for both history and study hall, he taught me more than any other teacher has been able to.

His laid back quirky attitude reflects his methods of teaching. He constantly was trying to push us out of our comfort zones with video projects we did about once a month. He wanted us to face, and accept, how other people saw us to prepare us for t he real world. He was always making colorful power points to teach us the current topic instead of standing in front of us lecturing for a period, putting us to sleep like many teachers do. He did not give us homework one day and have it due the next, but instead gave us a schedule of the homework for the section and left the responsibility up to us to remember to do it. Having that prepares us for life after high school, life less structured, where the responsibility is all on us.

Mr. Sand is a hardcore family man. He took whatever time we had left in class to show us his newest vacation videos or his children’s sports videos. It’s nice to see, in a world where a broken home is the average home, a man who balances his family and his career so nicely.

Mr. Sand always encouraged us to become worldlier to get out of out little close minded society of Wethersfield, CT and explore the cultures of the world. He would tell us stories of his travels across Europe and his adventures around the US. Many teachers just force the idea of college and never implant in you the need to reach outside of what we know.

He is a classic example of doing what you love and not caring about the money. He was a vice principal back at EO Smith, and here at WHS, and gave that up to be a teacher. When asked if he would go back to being a vice principal after Dr. Smith left he said that money’s not enough and teaching is what he wants to do.

Many people may not ever get to have the experience of having Mr. Sand as a teacher or ever be affected by him like I was but for them, I feel sorry. Putting aside that he was my teacher he was one person who impacted me greatly and taught me things that went beyond the curriculum and that what makes him the amazing teacher that he is.