Chad Van Cleve, Cedar Falls High School

Position: Social Studies Teacher

Years Teaching: 26 years

Hobbies/Interests: Read, Mountain bike, coaching wrestling and soccer, collect comic books, and just try to find things to do to keep my kids and myself busy.

What do you enjoy most about teaching? I enjoy the interactions with students and when they tell me how they have applied what they have learned in class to real life situations.

What do you find the most challenging about teaching? Making sure every students gets the attention they deserve.

Best tip for new teachers: We never get to see our work as a finished product, but we do have a great impact on the type of people our students will become.

Favorite piece of advice for students: Be kind.

What being a Gold Star Teacher means to you:I am very humbled by this honor. I am overwhelmed and continue to be thunderstruck. To be recognized by students is very fulfilling.