By Michael Kelman Portney

Every once in a while, a teacher comes along who doesn’t just teach you about their subject but fundamentally changes the way you see learning—and sometimes, even yourself. For me, that teacher was Mr. David Clardy, my geography teacher. Geography wasn’t my favorite subject, but thanks to him, it became something I looked forward to every day.

Mr. Clardy had a gift. He knew how to make learning feel like a game, an adventure, a party you didn’t want to leave. He taught us every country in the world in a fun, sing-song manner, and even now, years later, I still remember São Tomé and Príncipe because of him. His approach wasn’t just about retention; it was about joy. He brought this infectious energy into the classroom that made it impossible not to get swept up in whatever he was teaching.

It wasn’t just his creative teaching methods that made him stand out; it was the way he made every student feel. He didn’t just see us as names on a roster or test scores waiting to happen. He saw us as people. That’s rare, and for a kid who often felt invisible in school, it meant everything.

One moment stands out vividly in my memory. At a school auction, my mom and my best friend’s mom bid and won the chance for Mr. Clardy to take us to Dave & Buster’s. Imagine being a kid and getting to spend time outside of school with your teacher—the coolest teacher you’ve ever had—at the ultimate arcade hangout. He didn’t just fulfill the obligation; he leaned into it. He made it fun, easy, and, honestly, unforgettable. It wasn’t just that he took us to Dave & Buster’s—it was that he cared enough to be there and made us feel like we were worth his time.

That’s the thing about Mr. Clardy: he made you feel like you mattered. In a system that often treats students like products on an assembly line, he treated us like individuals. He was approachable, funny, and real. He didn’t just teach geography; he taught us that we were important, that we were worth his energy and attention.

In all my years of school, I can honestly say I never had another teacher like him. He was the kind of teacher who could make even the most mundane parts of school life exciting, the kind who could turn a list of countries into a lifelong memory. But more than that, he was the kind of teacher who made you believe in yourself, simply by believing in you first.

To Mr. Clardy: thank you. Thank you for being more than a teacher. Thank you for the effort, the laughs, and the memories. Thank you for making me feel seen when so many others didn’t. Every student you’ve ever taught was lucky to have you, and I hope you know that. Wherever you are, I hope you’re living your best life, because you deserve it.

Here’s to you, Mr. Clardy. You weren’t just the best geography teacher; you were the best teacher, period. Cheers.