Mr. O' Brien

From the thousands of faces that I have encountered in my lifetime, the most influential person would have to be my 8th grade history teacher. Since the opening of Oliver McCracken Middle School in 1959, Mr. O’ Brien has been a teacher there to this day. Throughout his entire teaching career, Mr. O’ Brien has dedicated practically his whole life to instill wisdom in young students. Don’t let this old timer fool you, for he still is quick on his feet and has a great sense of humor in the classroom. He had the magical touch to make history come alive. It was as if every word that came out of his mouth, took us to a far distant time and gave us a front row seat to the evolving world. Mr. O’ Brien took his passion and made it a career. What he has done for me and many other students is what I hope to do with my dance therapy career. He inspires me that one day when I work with my clients, they can sense how passionate and how much I want to be there helping them. He proves that in life you can find happiness and that you shouldn’t be afraid to go looking for it. Like Mr. O’ Brien, I hope to be in my seventies doing what I love with no regrets.

-Sara Maslanka