On the second floor of the Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics, students encounter the world of force, energy, and gravity: the world of physics. The newest physics faculty member, Mr. Michael Arney, is excited to start the second semester in a new school. He brings a significant amount of knowledge and expertise in teaching physics. After teaching for 13 years at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, he took a break in between his teachings and started working in construction. After working there for a few years, Mr. Arney then switched over to Lake Highland. However, his teaching has not just been at one school; he has had a teaching career for 27 years, mostly in physics. Mr. Arney has also taught robotics and chemistry, which shows his passion for teaching STEM subjects. He explained how he enjoys teaching many levels of physics, including AP Physics I, II, C, and Honors Physics, and he looks forward to, “Helping students develop enthusiasm for the topics.” He is looking forward to this because he believes that if a student is not interested in a topic, it is very difficult for them to learn and understand everything being taught.
Mr. Arney is originally from Minnesota and attended Macalester College in Saint Paul to get a Bachelor’s Degree in physics. He also has, “A minor in chemistry from Macalester College and a Master’s in curriculum and instruction from the College of St. Scholastica,” according to Upper School Director, Mr. Derek Daly. Additionally, Mr. Arney used to be a science competition coordinator and a varsity track coach, showing his involvement within his schools. Before teaching at LHPS, Mr. Arney worked in residential and commercial construction, mostly in project and operations management. But the question is, why and how did he become a teacher? He found his passion for teaching after witnessing, “Some exceptional teachers in high school, and [he] really admired them and the positive impact they had on students.”
Danny Lensky, grade 11, takes AP Physics I and says, “I like Mr. Arney’s teaching style, and I hope that I will have a more thorough understanding of each topic from now on with his lessons.” Danny describes how patient Mr. Arney is and how he is willing to help any one of his students. “I think he is a really good teacher and explains the lessons very well, which makes it way easier for me to understand,” says Marissa Cole, grade 11, about her Physics Honors class. Lastly, another AP Physics I student, Alyx Cunningham, grade 11, says how Mr. Arney is an, “Amazing teacher” and believes that, “His method of teaching is connecting more with students, following a comfortable pace with enough hands-on demonstrations that allows us to absorb limited, necessary information to pass an exam.”
A couple more fun facts about Mr. Arney are that his favorite book is currently The Name of the Wind, written by Patrick Rothfuss, and his favorite movie is Die Hard, directed by John McTiernan. He says when it comes to movies and books, he loves action stories and appreciates, “Stories that have an emotional connection with the characters. They have to sound emotionally real.” Mr. Arney’s favorite way to spend the weekend is at home, and he does many home improvements. Also, on the weekend he loves to dine at a Chinese restaurant near his home; he claims that is his favorite type of cuisine. Lastly, Mr. Arney says that he finds Formula 1 racing very intriguing, and when asked about what team he would race for and which teammate he would choose to race with, he stated, “I could drive for the Alpine F1 Team, and I would choose Pierre Gasly to race with.”
Mr. Michael Arney’s arrival at Lake Highland Preparatory School has been a very exciting time in his life, and the faculty excitedly welcomes him. He is very appreciative of the Lake Highland community and is glad to be in it. He is thrilled to be teaching his new classes and getting to learn about his new students. He also hopes that this semester will be the best ever. According to Mr. Arney, he states, “Let us start the new year with a positive attitude and a spirit of fun.”
