“Karin is one of the most intelligent, well-travelled, and sophisticated educators that I have had the honor of working with in my 30 years of teaching. I have never seen a colleague work harder to create, implement, and (most importantly) assess and provide authentic feedback for students. Karin is absolutely on a mission to help students become skilled and confident writers. She spends hundreds of hours outside of school working diligently and with incredible focus to not just ‘grade’ student writing but to help our students revise, edit, and reconstruct their writing with specific goals in mind. The evidence of her success is the pilgrimage of college students who come back every break to see her.”

— KAREN T. (former colleague)

“Ms. Uhlenhop designs lessons that are relevant, motivating, and engage students in active learning. . . . [She] creates a learning environment where all students feel welcomed and respected, one that is both safe and consistent for her students. She is a teacher that students trust and admire and is an asset to our community. Ms. Uhlenhop  holds her students accountable and to high standards . . . [and] provides constant feedback and support to assure all students are capable of achieving their academic as well as personal goals. She is a teacher that students, parents, colleagues trust and admire.”

— GINA P. (former administrator)

“I don’t know what he’s done or how he did it, but I can honestly say that I have nothing negative to say, except that he somehow transferred his enthusiasm for history and politics to me, seeing as I can’t stop reading and watching documentaries, and eerily looking for ulterior motives behind the words and actions of our politicians.”

— ADESH P. (former student)

“Thank you for putting up with my annoying emails. Thank you for answering all of my pestering questions. Thank you for being understanding, compassionate, and empathetic. . . . I always knew I was interested in the English language, but it was you who made me realize my love for literature.”

— NANCY A. (former student)

“During my thirty-eight years as a teacher, rarely have I seen [another teacher] approach their subject and students with the enthusiasm and caring that Mat has this year. . . . It is a pleasure to see a teacher demand, and get results, of his students the way he did this year. . . . On a personal note, Mat taught my son [who later became valedictorian] in AP history. I can honestly say that he has never been pushed as hard in his high school career as he was by Mr. Astrom. His thinking skills and in-depth understanding have been raised to the college level. I think this speaks very highly of Mat’s abilities.”

— JIM W. (mentor-teacher and former colleague)

“Mat brought two things to his teaching that are basic to his nature: his respect for the students in his care and his easy way with them. He is comfortable with his students. Consequently, they respect him and are comfortable in his classes.”

— SALLY H. (former mentor and administrator)

“Annika comes home from her history classes excited to tell us about the class discussions. . . . Mr. Astrom has been able to teach specific concepts in history, such as going back to source documents and using a wide variety of resources. . . . He has also been able to teach Annika how to write essays, study more effectively and how to prepare for exams. . . . Annika has a diagnosis of dyslexia and often felt insecure about her abilities at school. By incorporating specific strategies for studying, [she] is much more confident in her academic abilities in general and is experiencing success in her other school subjects as well . . . and is much more confident that she will successfully complete college.”

— SUZANNE H. (mother of former student)

“I wanted to take the time to say thank you for everything you did to support me this year, both academically and personally. . . . Your innovative activities and enthusiasm are something I dearly admire, and I'm grateful that I can trust you to give me good life advice. My love for diverse cultures grew because your class was always engaging and interesting. . . . I don't know how, but you worked miracles. For the first time in my life, I feel utterly proud of my skills as a writer, and that's all thanks to you. I'm endlessly grateful for your unconditional concern for me and your students. It makes you an unforgettable teacher.”

— EUGENIA W. (former student)

“I don’t remember if I had the chance to thank you for what you taught me during my senior year. I grew in so many ways that I didn’t realize until now.”

— Katlyn M. (former student)

“Mr. Astrom is one of the best teachers you will come across. His is by far the best and most dedicated teacher I have been taught by in all 12 years of my education. With his expert help, you will emerge with a deeper understanding of not just the facts and events of history, but also who we are and what it means to be American. . . . And the more time that passes, the more I have come to realize that the skills I gained extend far outside the classroom. With all the critical thinking and investigative skills we’ve learned, it’s become second nature to me to look past the surface details, whether it be what we see on TV, what we read, or what we are told, in order to find the unbiased truth for the pure satisfaction of being informed and knowing what is going on around the world.”

— ROBBIE A. (former student)