“In 9th grade, the student council sponsored a superhero day. I showed up at school dressed as Mr. Chenier. I wore a hockey jersey, khaki pants, socks, Teva sandals, a keychain with keys and glasses.
As a rule, I didn’t like history. But he inspired me. He demonstrated that even though subjects might be serious, you can still have fun. You can tell he loves what he teaches. I don’t know anyone else who reads ancient Greek. I remember a slide popping up once on screen and he began translating the text with the picture.
He’s a funny guy, too. At the end of the year, he gave us a reading assignment and a warning: “OK, now don’t be scared. When you open your book, it might make a cracking sound. Don’t worry. You didn’t break it. That’s just because you’ve never opened it before.”
Whenever I visit the school, I always make sure to see Mr. Chenier.”
— Mark Eckardt '05
“I love Mr. Chenier. It’s so hard to describe someone like him. You have to have him as a teacher and know him to grasp his teaching style and who he is as a person.
I had him for homeroom in 7th grade and for history in 9th. I never cared much for history, but I absolutely loved it after I took his class. Mr. Chenier was passionate about his subject and about us. If we didn’t fully understand a topic, he would work with us until we did. He always made sure that we didn’t just write down notes mindlessly but that we were paying attention to the points he was making. It showed that he cared. I find that really rare.
He was unique because he was interesting and fun and brought teaching outside the classroom. I could go to him anytime with questions or concerns about anything. He made a huge impact on my life.”
— Heather Lee ’06