He's the type of teacher, said a student in a video presentation at a special assembly at Webster Thomas High School this morning, that you want to go to class for.
Teacher Gregory Ahlquist is not only energetic and caring about what he's teaching, but also cares about the students, said Brenna Mason, who has taken two classes, Advanced Placement (AP) world history and AP European history, that he teaches.
Doug Pagani took AP World history as a 10th-grader and is taking AP European history now.
"He (Mr. Ahlquist) instills a unique combination of care, respect and confidence ... Those are the three things you feel when you walk into his room; it's really empowering," Doug said.
The two were among hundreds of Webster Thomas students, staff, administrators, family and friends who gathered in the Thomas auditorium this morning for a celebration of Ahlqust's presentation, yesterday in Albany, of the 2013 New York State Teacher of the Year award.
The designation means that Ahlquist will be traveling around New York State this year, speaking to administrators and some of the state's 200,000 teachers, as an ambassador for teachers.
The irony is that the honor means he will be missing some classroom time with his own students, Ahlquist acknowledged, but added that the award and obligations that come with it are a privilege.
The four words, which he heard while an undergraduate at SUNY Geneseo, that have shaped him are "I believe you can," Ahlquist said at this morning's assembly, adding that he was determined to be "a teacher of excellence."
"Great teachers see potential where others see very little," Ahlquist said, adding, "I believe in the power of transformative teaching — and education — for all of our students."
Parent Lorri Diggory attended today's assembly, she said, to represent her son, Jordan, who graduated this past June, but would have wanted to be there (he's away at college now).
Mr. Ahlquist class was challenging for her son, she said, but he still signed up to take a second class with him.
"He inspires kids to rise to the occasion," Diggory said. "Mr. Ahlquist made him (Jordan) work his butt off ... and love every second." She said she thinks Mr. Ahlquist's classes also helped "increase and hone" her son's writing and thinking skills.
He's the type of teacher, said a student in a video presentation at a special assembly at Webster Thomas High School this morning, that you want to go to class for.
Teacher Gregory Ahlquist is not only energetic and caring about what he's teaching, but also cares about the students, said Brenna Mason, who has taken two classes, Advanced Placement (AP) world history and AP European history, that he teaches.
Doug Pagani took AP World history as a 10th-grader and is taking AP European history now.
"He (Mr. Ahlquist) instills a unique combination of care, respect and confidence ... Those are the three things you feel when you walk into his room; it's really empowering," Doug said.
The two were among hundreds of Webster Thomas students, staff, administrators, family and friends who gathered in the Thomas auditorium this morning for a celebration of Ahlqust's presentation, yesterday in Albany, of the 2013 New York State Teacher of the Year award.
The designation means that Ahlquist will be traveling around New York State this year, speaking to administrators and some of the state's 200,000 teachers, as an ambassador for teachers.
The irony is that the honor means he will be missing some classroom time with his own students, Ahlquist acknowledged, but added that the award and obligations that come with it are a privilege.
The four words, which he heard while an undergraduate at SUNY Geneseo, that have shaped him are "I believe you can," Ahlquist said at this morning's assembly, adding that he was determined to be "a teacher of excellence."
"Great teachers see potential where others see very little," Ahlquist said, adding, "I believe in the power of transformative teaching — and education — for all of our students."
Parent Lorri Diggory attended today's assembly, she said, to represent her son, Jordan, who graduated this past June, but would have wanted to be there (he's away at college now).
Mr. Ahlquist class was challenging for her son, she said, but he still signed up to take a second class with him.
"He inspires kids to rise to the occasion," Diggory said. "Mr. Ahlquist made him (Jordan) work his butt off ... and love every second." She said she thinks Mr. Ahlquist's classes also helped "increase and hone" her son's writing and thinking skills.
Eric Lintala, another June graduate of Thomas, happens to be home on fall break from Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. this week and just had to be at today's assembly, too.
"He (Mr. Ahlquist) talked about teachers who influence you the most, and for me, it was him," Lintala said. "I chose to take APs just to have him as a teacher ... His energy and his love for students is beyond what I've ever seen in anyone else ... I'd love to be just like him when I'm older."
"All of us in Webster share in this award," Ahlquist said, adding, "To me, teaching is more than a job; it's an opportunity to change lives."
