36 Questions with Mr. Stanczak | The Hilltopper
Mr. Stanczak: Awesome! There was a student who did this a couple of years ago for a big project, and his partner was like you press play, right? And he was like yeah yeah. But then the next day, he was like I totally lost all of the recording.
Christine: Did they do it again?
Mr. Stanczak: And they had to come do it again.
Christine: Did Reina press play?
Reina: I did press play.
Mr. Stanczak: Alright what fun questions?
Christine: Where did you grow up?
Mr. Stanczak: Erie, Pennsylvania. In a town called Harbor Creek, outside of Erie, which is the third largest city in Pennsylvania, just to let you know. We are on the lake there.
Reina: Who is your enemy at the school, in terms of faculty?
Mr. Stanczak: Enemy, like an enemy? I didn’t have any enemies.
Reina: We know it's Mr. Isaacs.
Mr. Stanczak: Oh, here at this school? I thought you were talking about back in (high school).
Reina: No, In terms of faculty at this school?
Mr. Stanczak: Do I have any enemies? It’s not Mr. Isaacs, no. He’s fun, we joke around.
Reina: He’s a frenemy.
Mr. Stanczak: Yeah, he’s a friend, we just like to joke around. And no I don’t.
Christine: What would get you to cut the beard?
Mr. Stanczak: What would get me to cut the beard? I don’t know, probably a lot of money. The last week of school, I’m probably gonna cut it.
Reina: Okay. What is your favorite class period to teach?
Mr. Stanczak: Oh my gosh, woww. I feel like you guys are setting me up here.
Christine: This one is kind of obvious though. No one is going to be offended, when you say it.
Reina: Yeah, no one is going to be surprised, when you say it.
Christine: There is a right answer.
Mr Stanczak: What is the right answer then?
Reina: It’s A period.
Mr. Stanczak: uhhhh, I don’t know.
Reina: Well that is the most entertaining.
Mr. Stanczak: It is the most entertaining, as far as noisy. Now, this isn’t going to get out, because I don't want to, well I'll say this, it's like when you ask your parents who's your favorite sibling, I love them all equally.
Reina: That’s actually another question, who is your favorite child between your two sons?
Mr. Stanczak: I love both my sons equally.
Christine: Who is your favorite student?
Mr. Stanczak: Wow, Sasha from a couple years ago. How’s that?
Christine: That’s alright, I’m in the least favorite class, so I thought that would rub off.
Mr. Stanczak: You are not in the least favorite class because there is no least favorite class. I love all my AP classes this year. They are all so good.
Christine: Alright, more favorites. What is your all time favorite music album?
Mr. Stanczak: Ooooo, that’s a good one. Probably, XTC Skylarking, but I also might say The Beatles Revolver, or The Clash London Calling. Ohhhh, My Bloody Valentine Loveless, that would be one too.
Reina: What’s the last piece of media you consumed that made you cry? Like book, movie, TV show?
Mr. Stanczak: Umm, when the Patriots lost the Super Bowl against the Giants, probably. I don't really, I mean I don't cry, I get welled up. It might have been, maybe when someone dramatic died in Game of Thrones but I usually don’t like the people that die. I don't know I don't know. That was a good question. I don’t cry, but I get emotional.
Christine: Alright, dinner with a founding father, which one is it?
Mr. Stanczak: Oh, Alexander Hamilton. Totally Alexander Hamilton.
Reina: Okay, if your life was a song, what would the title be?
Mr. Stanczak: If my life was a song, what would the title be? Relax and Enjoy.
Christine: Good one.
Mr. Stanczak: I don’t know.
Christine: What’s the best inside joke you have been a part of?
Mr. Stanczak: Maybe you should have given me these questions beforehand, remember when you asked if I wanted the questions? Best inside joke? It would have to be that joke about Reina. No no no. I'll have to pass on that one, I can’t even think of that. That’s a good question though.
Christine: You can get back to us.
Reina: What’s the best advice you would give your teenage self?
Mr. Stanczak: To not be so anxious all the time, it’s not that big of a deal.
Christine: What’s your least favorite color? Be specific.
Mr. Stanczak: Yellow, because it’s the color of weakness.
Christine: Yellow is my favorite.
Reina: You have to be specific.
Mr. Stanczak: What do you mean specific?
Christine: Like Making of an American yellow or like…
Mr. Stanczak: Like really faded yellow…. Now that I’m looking around, I’m like I actually do like yellow. I like rich yellow, but not faded yellow.
Reina: Like American Spirit yellow?
Mr. Stanczak: No that’s a good color. Like light mustard. Yeah light mustard.
Reina: Ok, what’s the worst thing that has happened to you today?
Mr. Stanczak: I mean I've had a pretty good day, it's been a pretty solid day. But I noticed when I pulled into the parking lot that I’m almost out of gas. So now I’m like dang, now when I leave, I can’t just go home and relax, I have to go to the gas station. So that’s kind of a bummer.
Christine: What’s the best thing that has happened to you today?
Mr. Stanczak: All four of my classes were APUSH. So that’s just an amazing day.
Christine: But that’s mean to your other class.
Mr. Stanczak: It’s not mean. I teach a sophomore class, and I love my sophomore class too. But when you teach all four, you get into a rhythm and it’s fun.
Christine: What was the schedule?
Mr. Stanczak: G A and then B was my planning and then C and D.
Christine: Is this your favorite schedule?
Mr. Stanczak: Well, I have lunch duty too, so it’s a long day, but it's a good day. So yeah, I guess that’s the best. Ok, what's another question?
Christine: What's a niche secret society you would start?
Mr. Stanczak: A niche secret society that I'd start…
Reina: A non-violent one
Mr. Stanczak: What? Oh, I'm non-violent.
Mr. Stanczak: Probably something with Dungeons and Dragons. Maybe like a secret history club, something like that. These are tough questions, I don't know if I'd actually start a secret society for anything?
Reina: It's just hypothetically speaking, what you would start
Mr. Stanczak: We actually did start a secret book club in our department because-
Christine: Were you excluding people?
Mr. Stanczak: We were. Because you can't have 16 people all meet. A couple of the guys in the department said, "Hey, we have some of the same books, let's read them together at O'Hara's down in Newton, it'll be fun." But, we didn't tell anyone else, and then it got out, teachers got mad…
Reina: Did you have to stop meeting?
Mr. Stanczak: No, we're still going. We're almost to our 15-year anniversary.
Reina: Do you let new members in?
Mr. Stanczak: We keep it at 5, because then the table's too big, so we capped it at that. That was a little controversial, some teachers were like, "Oh, are you doing something fun tonight, like a…. Secret history club?!" Yes…
Reina: Which stereotypical highschool archetype would you consider yourself? I think it's pretty obvious
Mr. Stanczak: What would you say?
Reina: I would say nerd
Mr. Stanczak: Yeah, I would be the smart nerd in all the smart classes. And I was in marching band, playing Dungeons and Dragons.
Christine: What instrument did you play?
Mr. Stanczak: Trumpet. I wanted to play flute when I was in fourth grade, and the teacher said, "Boys don't play flute." That was probably good, because a 6'6" flute player in the marching band would have looked weird.
Mr. Stanczak: I also was a jock, I played soccer, basketball, and tennis.
Reina: Which was your best?
Mr. Stanczak: Oh, basketball by far. Soccer, I was pretty good at too, but tennis I was terrible, I was the last person on the team. But yeah, basketball, I was All County, you know hot stuff, Defensive Player of the Year.
Christine: What is your favorite time period to teach?
Mr. Stanczak: Favorite time period is the unit right now, Cold War era. The 50s 60s 70s, there’s really a lot of fun stuff taking place. But I always hate this time of year because we're so rushed because the test is coming up soon and I always say, "Why did I spend so much time on the Gilded Age?"
Reina: Do you think you could rival David Kennedy on a history quiz show?
Mr. Stanczak: Yeah, I think I could, because I know a lot about other types of history, not just U.S. history. Right now I'm reading some ancient Roman history. He knows a lot about modern history, but I could get him with some of the early American stuff.
Mr. Stanczak: I read about 120 books a year, but 30 of those are graphic novels. I'm sort of addicted to reading. Maybe my secret club would be a group of just me sitting in a room reading by myself
Christine: What is your most embarrassing high school story summed up in 3 words?
Mr. Stanczak: Score, other, team. Shooting for the other team was bad.
Reina: What's something that you keep practicing but you just can't get the hang of?
Mr. Stanczak: Cooking. I’m an adequate cook but I just don’t have the flair.
Christine: What’s your star sign?
Mr. Stanczak: What does that mean?
Reina: Like zodiac sign?
Mr. Stanczak: Capricorn, the best sign.
Reina: Who is your favorite first lady?
Mr. Stanczak: Eleanor Roosevelt.
Christine: What is the best gift you have ever given?
Mr. Stanczak: Best gift I ever gave?
Christine: The gift of an education.
Mr. Stanczak: Hahaha no. Probably a lot of things when your kids are little, and they really want something really bad. So I think the best was probably this Thomas the Tank Engine set that my son was just gaga over for years after that.
Reina: What's the best gift you've ever received?
Mr. Stanczak: Hmm, I don’t know. It would probably be like a book or something. Probably a bike when I was little, because once I got that cool bike, I could go everywhere in the neighborhood. Ohhh, football helmets. Little miniature football helmets I got one Christmas.I still have thee, that's the only toy I have from my childhood.
Christine: Who do you think is the best looking US president?
Mr. Stanczak: Best looking president, Obama is pretty good-looking. I never liked the whole JFK look, but he is probably up there. I think I have to go with Obama.
Reina: What's your favorite piece of clothing, or tie, that you own?
Mr. Stanczak: The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer tie I like a lot.
Reina: Does it light up?
Mr. Stanczak: It does.
Christine: On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited about life are you right now?
Mr. Stanczak: 10! I don't think that has changed much in the last 25 years. I worked really hard, and then I said “If you're going to live you might as well have a fun time doing it,” you know.
Reina: What is your plan after you retire? Or if you plan to retire?
Mr. Stanczak: Well I plan to retire someday. So lots of reading, lots of vacationing, traveling around America to see all the sites in America, maybe travel overseas. Stuff like that. I want to see all the big historical sites. Like I have never been to Rome, never been to Greece.
Christine: What is the dream country or place that you haven’t visited that you want to go to?
Mr. Stanczak: Japan. I’ve always wanted to go to Japan.
Reina: For the culture and the food, or for the historical aspect?
Mr. Stanczak: All the that. I love Manga and Anime so I like that aspect of it. Plus all of Japanese history and the whole Japanese vibe.
Reina: What’s the farthest country you’ve ever traveled to?
Mr. Stanczak: I'm trying to think which would be farther. It would probably be the Canary Islands, Spain, off the coast of Africa. I don’t know if that is farther than Amsterdam, the Netherlands. When I studied in England, they took us on little side trips, and one of them was to Amsterdam. I went to a giant Tulip factory that was weird.
Christine: If you could time travel to invisibly observe, where/when?
Mr. Stanczak: Well, I think I already told your class. That secret meeting between Washington, Jefferson, and Hamilton. That would be pretty cool to do, to be a fly on the wall there. There's a lot of closed-door meetings that you aren't really sure what happened, and historians have to guess about it, so I would have a list if I had a time machine.
Reina: What would you do with the information?
Mr. Stanczak: Come back and right a history book!
Reina: But people would question your sources
Mr. Stanczak: I was always thinking about writing a comic about historians that would do that, that they would go back in time and find out all the missing pieces of history. But then one of the historians would go rogue, and so they start doing bad things in the past, so you'd have to send a detective back to find them.
Christine: You should write this! You have it all planned out
Mr. Stanczak: My other one, which my wife is like, "You are literally, certifiably insane," But this would be a big hit. So there's a serial killer
Christine: Great start
Mr. Stanczak: He gets executed, because he was a horrible person. But he has on his card that he donates all his organs to organ donors. All his organs go to different people and then those people start feeling the need to commit crimes, and then there's an FBI agent that starts figuring it out, and then he pieces it together. That was my big thing, I don't know if it'll be a big hit, my wife thinks I'm crazy.
Reina: I don't think it'd be a big hit.
Christine: Woah, brutally honest.
Mr. Stanczak: You don't think it'd be a big hit?
Reina: I think the first idea was better
Christine: I think the first one has a bigger audience
Mr. Stanczak: Yeah serial killers, sort of scary and dark, I don't like stuff like that, I don't even watch shows, I'm like ehh.
Reina: When did your Diet-Coke-a-day ritual begin?
Mr. Stanczak: Probably when I became a teacher. At my first school I taught, none of the drinking fountains worked, because the school was old and the pipes were lead, so they couldn't fix the pipes, so there were no drinking fountains, vending machines or anything else. So, I had to bring a bottle of Coke each day, to sort of hydrate
Reina: Instead of water?
Mr. Stanczak: Instead of water, I know this is stupid but I feel like, to buy bottled water, I just hate it, you know. And this was before everyone started really having the containers to buy. And I was starting to get tired because, you know, you have kids, and you're up all night, and that was that extra jolt of caffeine, to help me on the long ride home.
Christine: What is your favorite ancient civilization?
Mr. Stanczak: Oh it would probably have to be Rome
Reina: Really? Not Greece?
Mr. Stanczak: I mean, Greece is cool too, I like a lot of Ancient Greek history, but probably the Roman Empire
Christine: Not a big Mesopotamia fan?
Mr. Stanczak: Oh I like Mesopotamia
Christine: Have you seen the song?
Mr. Stanczak: The what? Mesopotamia song?
Christine: *singing the chorus of The Mesopotamians by They Might be Giants*
Mr. Stanczak: I gotta look that up. There's a B-52s song called Mesopatamia too, but I don't know if they sing it like that
Reina: If you could switch lives with someone for a day who would it be?
Mr. Stanczak: I like my life, hmm, switch lives with someone for a day…
Reina: Maybe like a historical figure?
Mr. Stanczak: I don't know, though. You just would be in their body, not actually having to act like them, or just seeing through their eyes for that one day, or…
Christine: Up to your interpretation.
Mr. Stanczak: Maybe like a Superbowl quarterback? Something like that, or maybe a musician on stage, Taylor Swift in front of her fans, see what her life's like. One of those two, Tom Brady, Taylor Swift.
Christine: If you could teach another subject, what subject?
Mr. Stanczak: Science
Reina: What science?
Mr. Stanczak: It would be probably biology, I still read about evolution and biodiversity and all that stuff. Maybe geology, too, like tectonic plates and stuff like that.
Reina: If you had to eat one food for the rest of your-
Mr. Stanczak: Macaroni and cheese
Reina: Ok that was quick
Mr. Stanczak: Definitely
Reina: Is there a specific cheese or…
Mr. Stanczak: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese
Christine: Ohhh over Annie's?
Mr. Stanczak: Over Annie's, and even over homemade. I don't know I'm just a simple guy
Christine: Yeah, I kind of agree with boxed over homemade
Mr. Stanczak: Sometimes the homemade, they overdo it a little bit, put too much cheese in
Christine: In your opinion, what is the least valid sport?
Mr. Stanczak: Least valid? Wowww
Reina: Mine's curling
Mr. Stanczak: Curling is fun. See, I grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, so Canada was right across the border so we'd watch curling all the time, we were addicted to it. So I like curling. Not a valid sport… I think it would probably be like, the cornhole things? They have sponsorships and teams and everything. Maybe bowling? It's a game.
Christine: I kind of think golf
Mr. Stanczak: Golf, yeah. You still gotta walk. I don't know. Everything else takes some skill. Just throwing underhand a bag into a hole. You could watch on ESPN sometimes, and there's teams and cheering sections
Reina: What's something that's really popular now, but in 5 years, everyone will look back on and be embarrassed by?
Mr. Stanczak: Oh that’s a great question. I want to say Tik Tok things, but I don’t know. Yeah I’ll stick with Tik Tok. The challenges, that people always do. Like the dances that people do. I think in five years time people will be like, “really, that was a thing.”
Reina: Yeah, I guess.
Mr. Stanczak: Are people still doing Tik Tok challenges?
Reina: Yeah.
Mr. Stanczak: I just have a feeling that is going to fade away, because how many challenges can you come up with?
Christine: Alright we asked our 36 questions.
Mr. Stanczak: Yayyyy. That was fun. I wish I could have had better answers for you guys.
Reina: No, you had good ones.
Christine: Thank you so so much.
Mr. Stanczak: No problem. What’s this for again?
Reina: The Hilltopper
Mr. Stanczak: The Hilltopper, oh good lord.