LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Erick Heuck was nominated by multiple students. Below are their nominations:

“During my freshman year at Miami Senior High School, I would often stay after school to participate in extracurricular activities or hang out with friends. One day, just as I was about to stand up from my table to walk home, a teacher I had not met before sat down and started asking questions about myself. 'What clubs are you thinking of joining? What do you want to work as?' As I spoke to this teacher, who introduced himself as Dr. Hueck, I wondered whether this guy had anything better to do. It was around 5:00 PM — keep in mind, school ends at 2:20 PM— and he still found time to sit down with a random first-year student who didn’t even have his class to discuss their plans after college.

I was even more impressed when most of my friend group had similar experiences with him. Months later, when I spoke with him again, he still remembered my name and goals. This was during a time in the school year where even my actual teachers didn't know this much about me. It made me feel recognized in a way like I had someone rooting for me. That feeling is invaluable to a student’s morale.

Eventually, I took Dr. Hueck’s honors and AP chemistry courses. I realized he was not just an amazing motivator, but an amazing teacher. Coming into Dr. Hueck’s class, I had always wanted to be a lawyer, but as I sat in that classroom and found myself reflecting on his class for hours on end, I realized law was not for me. Dr. Hueck created a classroom so encapsulating that I questioned my career choice. However, I can write pages and pages about how well Dr. Hueck teaches electrochemistry or even my worst enemy, thermodynamics, but that is not worth much. See, there are thousands of chemistry teachers around the United States with passing rates and scores like Dr. Hueck, but very few teachers lift students the way he does.

Even to this day, after I have already taken both of Hueck’s classes, he still finds time to stay informed, just as he did my freshman year. He has made it a mission to always be the first person to know when I accomplish anything. After every debate tournament, college application, and scholarship decision, Dr. Hueck rushes to ask me what happened. He does this with hundreds of students. To say that Dr. Hueck was a LifeChanger to me...simply doesn't encapsulate all the help he has brought to my educational career,” said one student.

“When I immigrated to this country four years ago, I never would've expected to meet someone like Dr. Hueck, who is so dedicated to his career. He loves it so much that he has made it his life! Breaks are good for everyone, but for Dr. Hueck, they aren't even necessary. He likes what he does so much that he doesn't even see it as work.  

He has not only taught me chemistry, but lifelong lessons. I used to be a follower who didn't take initiative in things, but seeing how everyone sees him as an example inspired me to get out there and start representing a change for the things that I care about. He hasn't only instilled these skills in me, but in thousands of misrepresented students over the past 34 years.

You don't have to go too far to see how Dr. Hueck has inspired thousands of students. Just check how BETA, the biggest club in Miami High, has gotten to where it is at. His vision for things makes such a difference in how we manage the club! If things are not to the highest of standards, they aren't good. This has made us push ourselves to the best of our abilities. Also, Dr. Hueck has helped us win the homecoming parade for 10 consecutive years. We just can't afford to fail him on that one!

Dr. Hueck isn't only he a great leader for his club, but he also doesn't mind teaching when everyone else is on vacation. That's how much he loves it! He sat down with me and five other students to teach us honors chemistry during six weeks over the summer, so we could have the opportunity to take the AP Chemistry course that he dearly teaches. He knows what he is doing because my test score illustrates it; I got a 5 on the AP Chemistry test! I wouldn't have even passed without Dr. Hueck's dedication and patience. I remember he sat down with me for close to 30 minutes trying to teach me chemical bond angles. It just didn't click with me, but he didn't give up until I grasped that concept.

Having Dr. Hueck in my journey is something I'll be infinitely thankful for. I'm pretty sure that without his presence, my high school career wouldn't have been half as successful. Without him, I wouldn't have been accepted to colleges on the caliber of Harvard University. I'm just fortunate to have such a mentor in my life,” said another student.