GRATITUDE

"She is my favorite teacher I have had and she made me enjoy math."

-Rowan Levine

"Because she has treated me nicely during school" -Tommy Aysseh

"Because she takes the time to explain to me and helped me understand things more. She’s taught me to look beyond words on a page. She has taken the time to help me understand things better." -Cassie Arevalo

"I had her for three years of Mandarin and have always felt so supported and encouraged to grow in my learning of Chinese in her class." - Elsa Balderach

She is one of the most warm and welcoming teachers and always has a smile on her face. She has made mandarin class my favorite class and something I looked forward to. When I see her in the hallways during a not so good day, her face lights up to say hi and automatically puts me into a better mood. Seeing her constant joy everyday makes school a more positive environment and place where I feel welcomed and supported.  -Cameron Pokorny

"Since she has been my math teacher for two years she has really helped me improve academically and help me learn how to take accountability and action for my grades, her class is also super fun and engaging!" - Myra Burkhart

"Denise has been my teacher for every grade level while in Darien public schools. She knows me so well and she gets me excited about learning! She has helped me find my voice to communicate my thoughts, likes & dislikes and ideas; understand what it means to be a student, and she has opened up opportunities for me to learn in a variety of settings which has been challenging and amazing! I would not be the hard-working student I am today without Denise's steadfast devotion, creativity and ability to make learning fun. Thank you, Denise, for everything!" - Charlotte Butler

"He helped me through my junior year process also wrote my letter of recommendation and overall I had a nice experience in his class, he made English fun." -Henry Byrne

"Ms. McCarthy is my teacher of choice because I love the energy she brings to class and how outgoing she is. She truly makes learning so fun and exciting which can at times be challenging." -Ella Chereneck

"Last year, Ms. Swenn had a positive impact on my intellectual growth. Her teaching and environment created a fun, supportive, and safe environment where learning was always happening. She has supported me both inside and outside of the classroom, and she pushed me to my best potential in writing and reading. Her encouragement has had a big impact on me, so it feels right to have her represent my team and number." - Sofia Coppola

"My favorite teacher in 9th grade. Mrs. Fulton is one of first teachers that I felt truly believed in me. -Jason Dimanche

"He was my advisory and chemistry teacher. He is a great teacher and has guided me through my high school experience." - Corinne Easterbrook

"Even though I don't like math, I learned from him and he helped me out a lot. We had fun. He's one of my favorite teachers!." - Maya Eltvedt

"Mr. Sweeney is my choice because even after all of these years (I had him for freshman Civ), he is someone that I can go talk to or count on to reach out. Not only that, but his class helped me to realize my love for history, and I am eternally grateful for that realization." - Luli Escajadillo

"He's just a great guy!" - Nick Faugno

"I am choosing Bos because she has been the best teacher I’ve had in high school. She is not only supportive, kind, and caring, but she also takes the time to truly connect with her students. She always checks in on how I’m doing and makes it clear that she genuinely cares. Her support goes beyond the classroom, she has even come to my soccer and hockey games, which shows just how dedicated she is to her students. Bos also made me love ceramics and encouraged me to grow as an artist, always guiding me to reach my full potential." -Lila Fiorita

"I picked him because he was my teacher for math for the first 2 years of my high school journey. He pushed me to focus in class when he noticed my grades dropping resultig  with a good grade in the end." -Jay Franzese

"She was my teacher for two years in a row and I really enjoyed history and learning with her. She also showed me that participating is key in class. " -Ryan Gately

"I would like to recognize Mrs. Keeler for her positive impact on my Darien experience. As my AP Biology teacher, she made a challenging class exciting and encouraged me to think critically. Her support and passion for teaching inspired me to work hard and gave me confidence in my abilities." -Elizabeth Veeder

"She is my favorite teacher!" - Tess Hageney

"She not only was a great teacher but thought me a lot about how to be a better student and person." 

-Logan Reesor

"Mr. Scott has been one of my favorite teachers. He was always understanding and he overall was just an awesome teacher. Not only is he a great teacher, but he is a super nice person. He never fails to say hi to me in the hallways." -Jack Hanley

"He's one of many people in my corner during my time at DHS but also he's my baseball coach and he's made me a better player during the 2024 and 2025 season. " 

-Peter O'Connor

"He's a teacher I get along with really well!" - Brady Harwick

"He has been so helpful to me since my freshman year and he has tutored me. He’s been someone I can just go to and talk to, so he has had the most impact on me." 

-Ryan McGahren

"Last year, Señora Donigian not only made me a much better Spanish student but she also fostered a great class environment. Everyone was genuinely excited to come to class every day and I like the small touches she added to our class to make it more interesting. For example, Loctubre and Spanish March Madness was so much fun, gave us something to look forward to every day, and it sparked a lot of friendly competition in my class." 

-Sydney Johnson

"He found ways to make class engaging and it felt like he truly cared about his students and wanted them to succeed in school" -Liz Kolotova

"One of my favorite teachers . Never has a dull time in his class. I always will remember our history class" -Michael Nugent

"This teacher is my choice because she has been so kind and helpful to me and I am very grateful for her. " -Alex Kuras

"Miss Pennington has been my teacher for four years now, she has helped me grow as a person and a student. And has had a very strong impact on my life." 

-Eddie Repking

"Because he's the best teacher and really cares about the well being of his students." -Chase Lane

"She has been an enormous boon to my senior year thus far and challenges me to become a better writer."  -Thomas Marousek

"Because she has encouraged me to strengthen my Spanish skills and really made me enjoy going to class everyday. I felt like I truly improved in my Spanish abilities and I am grateful to have her as my teacher for 2 consecutive years. " 

-Mia Michaelson

"Band has been a big part of my high school career, and I love how he runs the class, it has kept me engaged with music through high school." -Henry Nardi

"Because she is very good at making class enjoyable!" -Ryan O'Malley

"She has always been so kind and always is able to make me to laugh in the middle of a school day that is difficult. She has had a very positive impact on my highschool career due to the fact that I know that she is there for everyone. She is not one of my teachers but she is truly the best and I love visiting her with my friend in the nurses office!" -Izzy Haire

"I chose Mrs. Pettit because she is one of the most positive and light hearted teachers I know. Although math is not always my favorite subject, I am always excited to go to her class because I’m greeted with a smile and a “hi how was your weekend kiddo”. She has not only had a positive impact on me but also on so many other students at DHS. " -Caitlin Valji

"Mr. Viderman is without a doubt the greatest teacher I've ever had. He constantly supports me even though I am no longer his student. Additionally, he is one of the most positive people I've ever met. He is always in a great mood. Whether it be conversations about the future or just class content, I always love spending time talking with Mr. Viderman outside of class. I am grateful to have had him as a teacher." -Ian Schneeberger

"I have a lot of respect for Mr. Viderman. I think he is a great person and a great teacher. " -Wes Scallen

"I feel Mrs. Elfstome has helped me so much throughout my high school journey and I really want to thank her for everything she has done for me. I feel we have gotten very close and she is the nicest teacher ever! -Chris Thurlow

"She has had such a positive impact on me as a person!" -Kat Wren

He's a great teacher and all-around nice guy!

-Charlie Golden

"I have had the privilege of having her as both a tutor and a teacher. Coming into her class everyday was always the best part of my day and a break from any stress or anxiety I was experiencing on the outside. She creates an amazing class environment from greeting every student by their name in the morning to being so conscious and fair with her work load. Truly the best teacher you could ask for." 

- Anna Von Kennel