As Mr. Cody Freund reminisces on his past experiences with McHenry Community High School, he revisits all the good memories that lie in the halls. While making his way to his classroom, he walks past a very familiar face, his old baseball coach, Mr. Brian Rockweiler. As a teenager, Freund never would have imagined himself in the building that he once couldn’t wait to graduate from and now he is teaching alongside some of his former teachers. Freund is a social science teacher at MCHS and his passion for sports has led him to not only be a girls basketball coach but a baseball coach as well.While learning from his fellow teachers and coaches Freund has embraced creating a positive environment for his students and athletes that he once had at MCHS. 

Freund says that the amount of work a student does in that class depends on how much they care about or appreciate their teacher. “You have to show kids you care, or they won’t do anything for you,” he explains. Although most students don’t like learning or showing up to school at all, Freund says that it’s important to inspire kids to do their best. “The reason I wanted to become a teacher was to inspire kids and build relationships with my students.”

Freund explains that he values relationships when trying to get a new group of athletes to listen and respect him. “Everything starts with building relationships and that doesn’t mean just talking to your athletes every once in a while, it means constantly talking to them, to the point that they are tired of hearing your voice,” he explains. Even though athletes are most times afraid to have a relationship with their coach or speak their mind about the program, it is something Freund appreciated when he was a student and continues to carry on with his students. “I had a coach who asked us every Friday what we were doing over the weekend and followed up with us on Monday. I believe this is very important and I try to do this with my students or athletes.”

Freund describes the difference in each student’s learning ability and how he strives to make his classroom inclusive for everyone. “Every student reacts and learns in different ways but it’s important that as a teacher I learn what each kid needs and my classroom can be a safe space for all,” he explains. This inclusivity fosters an environment where students are happy and willing to learn, making it easier for students to succeed and grow in the class. “He asked me why I was upset one time because I was acting weird and it showed that he cared about me,” explains sophomore Gabi Grasser.

Teachers have the ability to impact students not only in highschool but after they graduate. Freund has impacted many young athletes and students and continues to be a part of their life each day. Great teachers are so important to most students. Teaching is more than standing in front of kids but rather changing their life for the better and having an impact.