Engaging, caring, dedicated and enthusiastic: all words that accurately describe AP World History and AP Psychology teacher Mr. Forney. Forney has been teaching at WCHS for 12 years now and has since left a positive mark on WCHS and his students.

“I like getting to explore content that I emit with students and getting an opportunity to hold relationships with students,” Forney said. 

Forney puts in his best effort to make his classes high-energy and exciting for the students, especially as he knows the level of rigor that AP classes hold. He is often known amongst students for being passionate about what he teaches and making sure his students are on the right path for success in the course.

“I try to be energetic and enthusiastic about what I teach and I hope students find me to be genuinely interested and concerned in them,” Forney said. “I really try to mirror the energy that I want from you guys. I can’t expect you to be interested if I’m boring.”

Forney’s clear passion for what he does is evident in every lesson interaction with students. He always goes the extra mile to ensure students feel comfortable about the material and are preparing well for the AP exam. Additionally, Forney is known for holding review sessions before every unit test for his classes in order to wrap up the unit and better prepare students for the upcoming test, something most teachers do not do.

“Mr. Forney really caters to his students because he is very understanding and patient. He is always there when you need help and assistance,” senior Chelsey Nkamshire said. “Mr. Forney always picks up my and other students spirits.”

Forney offers a unique AP World History experience to his students due to the fact that he has traveled to many of the countries about which he teaches and thus offers personal experiences to his students in hopes of making the learning process more interesting and memorable.

“Mr. Forney is unique from other teachers just due to the fact that he really connects to his students quickly and he always has stories to connect to the lesson,” Nkamshire said. “My favorite part about his class was his stories that always came back to what we were learning. That helped me to remember the content more since it was always a fun story.”

Something Forney does in order to spice up note-taking and studying for his students is often creating his own hand-sketched worksheets and review guides. His students appreciate him incorporating his artistic abilities into his teaching and making learning easier for his students.

“My favorite part of class was note-taking because he always made lessons fun,” senior Abbey Zhend said. “I really liked how Mr. Forney incorporated a lot of pictures and fun stories about the time when he visited the countries we talked about in class.”

Forney always encourages his students to try their best no matter what they’re doing, as he knows students are often stressed with their responsibilities and intense work loads.

“Don’t get down if you get a GPA or test score that you aren’t happy with. These things don’t define you,” Forney said. “There’s a niche out there for everyone.” 

Forney’s students definitely receive his positive energy and appreciate how hard he tries to make his classes more fascinating and a great environment to learn in.

“When I wasn’t having the best day or just tired, when I entered his classroom I would instantly get brighter and I would forget that I was even tired,” Nkamshire said. “Mr. Forney is just the best, he rocks!”