This week, I will be returning to school, where instead of walking up to the science department to come say "hi," I will be attending a mass in your honor. I wish things weren’t this way. Still, this is a letter of gratitude, not mourning, because I know that is what you would want.

I’ll start with how you helped shape my story in high school. When I transferred here my junior year, I was lost and beyond nervous. It is in your classroom that I found solace. You allowed us to choose our seats and I felt comfortable sitting next to one of my best friends from my former high school.

Having some sense of familiarity, of home, in a new environment was comforting.

You went out of the way to see how the transition was going. I remember my mom coming back from back to school night and commenting on how you were genuinely concerned about my well being.

I had never been a fan of science, so I went into physics with low expectations. But something about you, whether it was the way you made us accountable for our own learning through the notes or videos, or the jokes you always managed to slip in, made me look forward to coming to class each day.

Thank you for making a subject I thought I would dread enjoyable.

You also pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I remember when preparing for the first test, there was a question you labeled a “challenge problem,” which you explained was similar to that of problems that your AP students did. At that point, I brushed aside the idea of taking AP. As the year went on, and I continued to truly enjoy physics, I realized I was slowly yet surely heading for the AP track. When you told me you thought I would be a good fit for AP, I knew that was the final sign.

I had no real reason to take AP Physics, not planning on being an engineer or majoring in a science. This is something I prided myself on.

For once, I was doing something challenging, simply because I could, because I knew I would grow and learn from you and from the material.

And I did. I can honestly say that taking AP Physics was one of the best decisions I made in high school. You pushed me harder than ever. Every time I went to you for help, you sat down with me and didn’t just give me the answer, but forced me to truly think.

Because of you, I learned the value of working together in the search for answers. The people I met in AP physics and I went through senior year together. We met at each other’s houses, doing our dreaded WILEY problem sets. We spent homerooms before tests in the “AP physics” bubble as people would call it, scrambling around for last-minute clarifications and explanations.

Along the way to finding answers, I realized I had found something greater.

Laughter and companionship, a group of friends that I could turn to anytime for a nerd moment or more, and still do to this day.

If you hadn’t taught me my first year here, I would have never found these people. The memories I made during AP Physics were some of the highlights of my year and I am so grateful. It is in your class that I laughed the hardest, worked the most, and gained the greatest independence.

Both in and beyond the classroom, you taught me passion. Anyone who took your class knew that you were passionate not only about the subject at hand, but about how you taught, and whether or not people were understanding what was going on.

Your passion went so far beyond that. When I joined Cantors and starting attending rehearsals and singing at masses, I saw a whole other side to you, the musical side, which brought up so much emotion and love. At the end of every mass, you showed such gratitude for us musicians, which always warmed my heart. Thank you for teaching us all how to sing with a “heart for love alone”, as one of our favorite hymns went.

My two years in college would have been far different without you.

And I’d venture to say, less laughter, knowledge, and passion filled. I am so grateful to say I was taught by you, to have had you as one of my college recommenders, and so much more.

When May came and you became sick, I don’t think any of us really thought we would be in the position we are today. I will always remember you calling us from the hospital before we sang at our Senior Mass. Thank you for that memory.

Since your passing in September, as strange as it sounds, I have felt your presence more than ever. I was not able to attend your services, but that Sunday the opening song at mass here was "Gather Your People", a song that we used to sing in Cantors often. This has happened multiple times. Thank you for those signs telling me you’re still watching me. I can only hope you hear me when I talk to you.

I can’t thank you enough for pushing me to be more: a more courageous learner, a more joyful singer, a person who finds humor in everything.

I plan on majoring in math, and I attribute a lot of this to you. You helped me find not only a passion for math but the courage to pursue it. I pray I'm making you proud.

Mr. Dalby, I hope you’re “breaking it down” in heaven. I hope you realize how many people you impacted, and continue to, and how much you are loved. Like you told us on the phone, “every little thing is gonna be alright”. Thank you for everything.

Love,

Samantha