Congratulations, Mr. Balouris!

By Ebony Caldwell

Reporter

Mr. Balouris, Crete Monee’s favorite biology teacher, is made teacher of the month this October, and many people seem to agree that it is a well-deserved achievement.

Many students report having a great experience with Mr. Balouris. Usually, those who have had him as a teacher are more inclined to speak well of him because they are aware of the type of person Mr. Balouris is.

“I’m glad that he got teacher of the month. He deserves it; he’s a really good teacher. In my freshman year, he was my honors biology teacher and was really kind. He gave really good comments about my work and really appreciated everything we did," said Ariyah Harvey, a junior at Crete-Monee.

Ariyah’s time with Mr. Balouris during her freshman year has stuck with her and has played a big part in her being a good student. Many more students at Crete tend to have the same positive point of view regarding Mr.Balouris. Cynthia Cairo, another junior here at Crete, also appreciates Mr. Balouris’s kind nature.

“Honestly, it’s expected, considering that he’s a really good person and a really good teacher. He’s not just a teacher, if that makes sense, he’s genuinely interested in how you’re feeling, and he wants to make sure you’re understanding the material," said Cynthia.

Cynthia also remembers her time with Mr. Balouris when she had him her freshman year. She reports liking his teaching style and how he interacts with her and his other students.

We’ve heard that students love Mr. Balouris, his teaching style, his character, all of that! But now we get to hear from Mr. Balouris and what he has to say about making teacher of the month.

“Making teacher of the month is a great honor. Honestly, I truly appreciate these students and their appreciation of me. I think that’s our job as teachers; yeah, we gotta teach the students the material, but it’s also to teach them that they are great people, too”, said Mr. Balouris.

Mr. Balouris wants the best for his students, and he proves that every day as he walks through Crete Monees doors and into his classroom.

“I want my students to be the best forms of themselves, and I want them to realize that anything they set their minds to, they can achieve,” said Mr. Balouris.