Todd Kiesewetter, a biology teacher at South, brings more to his classroom than just education. Although he teaches freshman biology, students of all grade levels recall the upbeat energy they encountered during his lectures.

Kiesewetter attended Illinois State University and received his B.S. in Agriculture along with his teaching certification in Biological Sciences.He later earned his Master’s in Educational Leadership at Aurora University.

Before he entered the teaching field, Kiesewetter worked at a seed production company and found his passion through his work.

“One of my responsibilities was to work with high school students in the area and educate them about what we did as a company,” Keisewetter said. “It was a fun part of my job and I really enjoyed teaching the young adults about the Agricultural Industry.”

Students have a difficult time forgetting Kiesewetter because of his outlandish and fascinating stories he shares with his classes.

Students who took his class freshman year still remember the well-told stories and fun lessons even if they’re a soon-to-be graduate.

“My favorite memory of his class was when he told stories about the pranks he pulled in high school and when he would call his mom and she would tell us about his childhood,” said Cece Urbano, senior.

“He always knew how to have fun but still tie in the lesson for the day,” Urbano said.

He doesn’t participate in any after school activities but says he would fully endorse a ping-pong team named the ‘Blazing Paddles’. Outside of school Kiesewetter enjoys time to himself.

“I absolutely love to fish,” said Kiesewetter. “I really think that it is a form of meditation for me. I also like to hunt for wild mushrooms. Morels are my favorite; they only “fruit” or emerge once a year, in the spring, and they are pretty sneaky. Oh, I also like to eat. I’m a really good eater. Did I say, “eater?” I meant reader. I like to read.”

Kiesewetter continues to inspire both students and teachers while simultaneously making learning unique and personalized through his own life experiences.