Whether you know him as your teacher, director, or fellow educator: Mr. Kitchenman- Kitch (as most who know him) welcomes everyone with his “show must go on” attitude and ability to leave all feeling seen and heard. Kitch has brought back to Quakertown High School the true goal all Educators should have: bringing love back to learning, pushing students to follow their dreams, and making students truly understand what they are learning. So if you are looking for a true example of leadership, room C119 is the place to find it.

Kitch being a wonderful teacher had to start somewhere. When asked about his journey as an student, it was less then surprising to hear him say that one of his strengths as a teacher was what helped engage him in school, stating, “Even if I was not best at the subject, like Spanish, it was the teachers that build community that I felt made the most impact on me.” This leads further into the idea of just how important it is to build relationships with students. That was the idea back before Kitch even knew he wanted to teach, but now he explained the long-lasting mentors he has now. “I think that as a person, my grandfather taught me dignity, which helps me far beyond my Academia” When asked about who has helped him nost in his career as a high school teacher, he did not hesitate to say, “ I would not be as successful without Joseph Harvey” listing off all the ways he showed him compassion as he was trying to find his footing as a new teacher. But it’s not just older people who help him learn as a teacher; Kitch talked about how his students teach him something new every day. Noting that “part of being a receptive teacher is knowing students teach us just as much as we teach them”

So why English? Kitch answered, discussing how he had always wanted to be a writer.Before all the grammar lessons and Gatsby, he always had a knack for story writing, which makes it easier today to include storytelling into his lesson. Kitch was open to admitting that teaching was not his first love, “I either wanted to be a marine biologist or write stories- I chose the one I loved more,” That is how he ended up with a film degree, leading him to his decision to teach first,starting with the American Red Cross and then into the classroom. His love for writing- especially horror and nonfiction reflection- shows in the way he writes, but also the way he teaches, “I like putting characters in situations to better understand them”. So students do not just leave knowing how to write, but why they write.

Although, Kitch is more than just a teacher and writer- he is the glue that holds the theater program together. Throughout the last 3 years, he has built back the theater program into something that is thriving. Production such as Alice and Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Dracula, Addams family, Shakespeare in Love and coming soon, Mary Poppins have wiped the dust off the stage and grown the program which could not be possible without Kitch’s Directing skills. Kitch cares so deeply about not only about the shows he puts on, but the people in them. One of his first rehearsals at Quakertown he reminded us to not lose sight of what’s truly important:each other and that the show only works if we all are at our best so we must always check in on each other. I may be a little biased, but I do not think we would have the strong community and family that we built with another director, showing each and every one of us that we are cared about and our love for the arts will never be a waste. Along with being able to be a creative mentor for a number of students. When talking about Theater, he said that “ this program brought back by passion” a sentiment that a lot of actors could share when talking about Kitch. Both Rachel and Bree, currently majoring in the arts, agree that Kitch helped them down the paths of doing what they truly love.

So now C119 is not just a place for books and lecture and the stage is not just a place for teachers to give presentations, Mr. Kitch has brought confidence, humor, and heart back to a place most students dread to be at 7:15. He does not just teach English- Kitch supports life long learners down whatever path they choose.