When asked who my most influential teacher has been, there are two that come to my mind. Each served different purposes and pushed me in different directions. But, because it is impossible for me to write a paper and not include everything about one, there is no way that I can write a paper and include everything about two! Therefore, I’ll write about Mr. Curtis, DuPont Manual High School’s photography teacher, someone I not only respect, but someone whom I look to for direction and leadership
I first walked into the photography room when I was a sophomore in high school. I marveled at the work of students, the dark room, and the high tech equipment. I saw students lined up to talk to Mr. Curtis. It was his first year of teaching at Manual, the magnet high school in Louisville, KY, and he had already become a favorite teacher.
The next time I walked into the photography room, I was a junior in high school, finally old enough to take a photography class. I soon learned that the class was demanding and difficult. On the first day, Mr. Curtis told us that by the end of the year, we would have learned to look at life in a different way. A step outside would become an adventure into what the weirdest object could be found to photograph. Light became an instant picture, a beautiful piece of artwork hanging in the Metropolitan. Because of Mr. Curtis, I learned that it was the shadows and the acute light that caught my eyes. A sunny day turned into the Garden of Eden, while a rainy day altered all light and any hope of outdoor photography. It was impossible to get away with bad work in the class; we had to present everything to him and our peers. Every student took photography seriously, even though we all knew we had no expectations of making a profession out of it.
During class we learned new photography skills, but if someone ever hung around after class, they would get to know Mr. Curtis. I was one of these students. I quickly learned about his life, his fiancé, and her children that he adored. He learned about my life too, about my family and petty high school drama. Instead of telling me what to do, Mr. Curtis would ask me to look at life from a different angle. He taught me to appreciate the little things. As an American student, I was taught how fortunate I was. But until Mr. Curtis did I understand why I was so fortunate. Through his travels, he taught us other cultures and the fortunes that I have compared to these children.
Mr. Curtis still teaches the same class in the same classroom but with different students. I have no doubt that they have learned to appreciate him as much as I do. His new wife is pregnant with his first child and his life continues to be on a roll. Mr. Curtis will forever teach students not only photography skills but skills that we will use for the rest of our lives.
-- Allie Cowan, American University