The student news site of Clayton High School.

The Globe

The student news site of Clayton High School.

The Globe

The student news site of Clayton High School.

The Globe

Getting to know history teacher Kurtis Werner

Globe: What is your favorite food?

Werner: Oh man, my favorite, my absolute favorite food is my mother’s spaghetti and meatballs. I could eat it any time of the week. I’m also a huge fan of chicken. Unfortunately I have a taste for fast food. I like McDonald’s and Taco Bell, particularly Big Mac’s at McDonald’s and Soft Tacos at Taco Bell. Those are some of my favorite foods.

Globe: Do you have a favorite U.S. President?

Werner: It would have to be Abraham Lincoln, by far, with what he had to endure during the time period where we were basically ripped apart as a nation.

Globe: Okay, so, then do you have a favorite historical moment?

Werner: Oh gosh. Only being 25 years old, I can’t really depict anything during my lifetime besides of course 9/11: that’s been real influential in my life. But favorite historical moment of all time? One thing I’ve always enjoyed teaching about and I think it gets a lot of play is the D-Day invasion of the beaches of Normandy during WWII. I like showing the “Saving Private Ryan” scene of the U.S. and their allied troops with the British going in and taking over the beach and getting a stronghold in Western Europe.

Globe: Would you say 9/11 is the most important event in your lifetime?

Werner: 9/11 has been the most important thing in my lifetime. I just remember being a senior in high school, knowing exactly where I was by my locker and hearing my buddy Christian Roth, whose now a Marine, come in and say “Hey Kurtis, somebody slammed into the World Trade Center.” It was like Holy Cow. That changed everything. It really has.

Globe: Do you have a favorite TV show?

Werner: Favorite TV show would definitely be “The Office.” I’ve been watching a lot of “Glee” lately. I also have always enjoyed “Friends” in the past and “Seinfeld,” two of my favorite shows growing up. Another one that’s sort of on the rise for me is “Community” the show about a community college. It is absolutely hilarious. I just can’t take it.

Globe: Do you have a favorite movie?

Werner: Favorite movie of all time…One’s probably “The Sandlot.” I’ve watched it so many times I can basically quote it line for line. On the historical front, I enjoy the movie “Glory” about the Civil War. Matthew Broderick, Ferris Bueller, is in there, and he plays one of the lead commanders inside the movie. Yeah, those are two of my favorite both fun and historical movies.

Globe: Do you have a favorite sport?

Werner: Favorite sport is definitely baseball. Always will be. I live and breathe the Cardinals. Second would probably be running, although I look at it as more of a passion than a sport.

Globe: When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?

Werner: I knew I wanted to be a teacher as young as probably 5th or 6th grade. I just had good social studies teachers, and I knew that’s what I was going to do. Mom tried fighting it: “Hey Kurtis, go into something else.” But, nope, Mr. Werner became a teacher.

Globe: How would you describe CHS students?

Werner: CHS students are very academically dedicated. I’ve had students from my cross country team come up to me and say, “Coach, I’ve got this huge physics test tomorrow. There’s no way I’m gonna be able to run.” And they can’t, they physically are just kind of absorbed with this test and they’ll put in 3-4 hours the night before; that’s not even counting the consecutive hours they put in everyday. They’re also very cultured from what I’ve noticed. There are a lot of students who’ve traveled across the world, and that does make a big difference in understanding our social studies curriculum.

Globe: Do you have a favorite classroom memory? And that’s as a teacher or as a student.

Werner: My eighth hour class last year in U.S. World History gave me a very cool button called “Simple Man, Great Teacher. Thanks Mr. Werner!” We had a great relationship as a class. They allowed me to teach and gave me respect, and I in turn hopefully offered some things to them in return.

Globe: What are your long term goals as a teacher?

Werner: Long term goals are to establish a Missouri History Class in the next five years. I want to teach for 30 years. I don’t think I’ll get my doctorate or anything of that nature but more or less just grow in content to the point where maybe I’m Mr. Harned over there teaching AP classes later on in my career.

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Getting to know history teacher Kurtis Werner