By: Emily Storbakken

Sankream Prak is a science teacher of many different forms, but that’s not all. When you think of Science, what comes to mind? Some might say boredom but that’s not what the teens in Prak’s class believe.

Mr. Prak is a fun and outgoing teacher. If you have seen him in the halls or in class you would remember him. He has been a teacher for more than 26 years, 16 of which at Moorhead High School. Even though teaching is entertaining depending on who you ask, he has stated that “ being a teacher is stressful” and his future plans are to continue teaching until he can't anymore. Although Prak is an exceptional teacher, he hasn't always dreamed of shaping young minds. “ There is lots of chaos and misunderstanding in the world and I thought more could be done other than that,” Prak says.

When Prak was a child he always wanted to practice medicine and he never considered being a teacher. When Prak moved to the United States in 1982 he went to college practicing medicine, but later on he figured out he no longer wanted to be in the field of medicine. The first college Prak went to was Truman College in Chicago, followed by the Fargo - Moorhead area and NDSU to study astronomy. After college he went on to teach in the Twin Cities

Prak has not always had an easy going life. In his hometown he experienced what most people could never dream of.

Prak grew up in Cambodia, a Southeast Asian nation whose landscape spans low lying plains. Prak’s life in Cambodia was very different from his life in America. When he was a child he was trained military style and “basically brainwashed” he says. Prak lived in Cambodia until 1982 when he came to America to start new. In Prak’s early years of school he figured out he was colorblind which was hard for him. “The teachers thought I was not as smart as the other students,” said Prak, “I couldn't see colors like the other kids could.”

Prak enjoys teaching science classes at Moorhead High, he learns new things about students and how to change his teaching ways to fit the needs of a variety of different students. He chose to be a teacher not only because he likes teaching but because he loves the environment teaching brings.

By: Samantha Laid

Mr. Pugh is the coach for Science Olympiad at HS. Pugh has been teaching for four years and this is his third at Moorhead. This is his first year as the coach for Science Olympiad. Before his time as the coach, he served for two years as a volunteer assistant. His role now is to organize meetings, coordinate bus schedules, and decide who will compete in each event. “Usually I let them have a say in it,” said Pugh.

Mr. Pugh wishes to increase the interest in the club. He wants to accomplish this by adding more experiments and hands-on activities and find ways for the kids to have more of an interest.

Pugh has always had an interest in science, even since his days in high school, which is part of the reason why he decided to become the coach for the club. It didn't matter which kind of science. Chemistry, biology, he enjoyed them all.

The Science Olympiad team competes in regional competitions, focusing on testing, labs, and engineering.