Kate Janke

Zach Huber
Essay Fundamentals
Analysis by Division Essay Final Draft
Kate Janke When you think of someone influential in your life it’s usually someone very close to you. To a child it’s usually a superhero or one of their parents. To me this is not the case. Kate Janke, a music teacher and theatre arts instructor at the high school of Park Center, is one individual who has changed me as a person, and made me who I am today. Ms. Janke’s qualities of directing in the theatre program, teaching the subject of music, and having an open, down to earth type of personality helped shape me to be who I am today. To begin, I wasn’t the most popular kid in school, but I did manage to have quite a few friends. It wasn’t until I got introduced to
Park Center’s theatre program where I met new people. Kate Janke, who is the theatre program’s director, recommended me into participating into this after school activity, and I’m so grateful that I did. I met so many new people. I felt as if there were no different groups like you see in the lunchroom. They were all one body because of Ms. Janke’s philosophy of no one being excluded regardless of “popularity” or “coolness” and therefore we all belonged. All of them were happy and had smiles on their faces every waking moment in that auditorium. For the first time I felt as if I belonged. I felt that I was a part of the school other than being just a student there. Continuing on, music means everything to me now because of my experiences with Janke, from performing in the musical to being in choir.
I wasn’t the greatest singer in the world, but I still had confidence; confidence in that I can do better and learn. Ms. Janke helped build that confidence by being my own personal voice teacher twice a week after school and I saw much improvement. I would have never considered singing, especially to a crowd of people, but this all changed when I met Kate. She was my choral instructor for three years while attending school. I saw much improvement in my voice range and tone. I improved so much that I got up the courage and sang the national anthem at one of our high school’s football games. When it was all said and done, people were looking at me and applauding. Ms. Janke once told me that I can do anything if I just worked hard. Because of my National Anthem performance, she was right. To this day I sing for people, and when I help people in their musical struggles I pass down her message to work hard, have confidence, and to not give
up. Finally, her down to earth and open personality made me look at my instructors at school in a different way.
Ms. Janke was not just my instructor; she turned out to be a close friend and wanted to help anyone who desired to improve. Yes, the instructors at the school may be there to help you get through high school, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be your friend. I treated Ms. Janke as if she was just “one of the guys.” We would joke around, laugh, and tell stories of what went on outside of the classroom. She also helped me become more confident in my ability to be more open and less confined to myself when around other people. I was a very shy person, but thanks to her advice of having effective communication and not caring about other people’s opinions as much I turned out to be outspoken and communicated well with
others. In conclusion, Kate Janke helped shape me who I am today by using her qualities of her own personality, her music teaching, and her directing within the drama program at Park Center. If it wasn’t for this individual, who knows where I would be academic wise and personality wise. Without her in my life I would have never met the great people that I still hang out with today. I go around every day thinking that one day I can become a Kate Janke and use my own qualities to help someone in their life.