This probably explains why Mohnike was chosen for the Santa Clara County Teacher of the Year award.

Having worked for Saratoga High for the past 11 years, Mohnike began as a journalism teacher but switched five years ago to teach in the English department. She currently teaches 11th-grade English, 11th-grade honors English and a tutorial-type course dedicated to improving student performance.

Mohnike is "flattered" by the award—which will be presented to her during a ceremony on Sept. 23 at Santa Clara University—but is shy about drawing attention to herself. "Awards are difficult," she explains, "because for the person who gets one, everyone else doesn't get one. I think everyone should get an award."

Unlike many teachers, Mohnike did not get her undergraduate degree in education. She always felt the urge to teach, but decided to major in business and marketing instead.

The choice did not change her teaching destiny, however. While in Germany after graduation, Mohnike realized she wanted to come back to the United States and teach German. Upon her return, that plan did not pan out, so Mohnike turned her energies back to her college minor, which was in creative writing, and used that to enter an English credential program for teaching.

"I love German, but it really wasn't a viable option," Mohnike explains. "With English, though, you get the best of all worlds—you have writing, which I love; English, which I love; and teenagers, whom I love."

Teenagers are the main source of Mohnike's passion for teaching. Even as a teenager she appreciated that stage of life. "There was something about that age group that always spoke to me," she says. Although Mohnike has taught all high school levels, she finds 11th grade to be one of the most rewarding.

"I think I've found my place with 11th grade. It's the perfect age in high school. They are upperclassmen, but they aren't completely in the college mode yet." And, Mohnike adds, "if they are going to be engaged with the school, this is the year they are going to do it."

She's especially fond of the grade because it is the year for teaching American literature, which Mohnike loves.

A bond with the written word was never hard to establish for Mohnike, who says writing always came easily to her. In college, papers never bothered her, and while she's busy teaching, she still finds time to write poetry and fiction. Yet with her passion and talent for creating the written word, she doesn't find it difficult to teach her skills to students who might not otherwise be so inclined.

"I take my skills and work with the students," Mohnike says. "The way some people might play a sport very easily with little training is the same way it is with me and writing. Some people might be gifted in it, but most are not. You have to learn how to do it."

Mohnike's appreciation for helping students learn seems to run in the family. Many of her relatives are teachers, and her father, who recently retired from the business world, recently began to pursue substitute teaching. Teaching was always something he wanted to do but had been prevented from because he had to enter the workforce young to support his family.

"This award is most exciting for me because of my dad," Mohnike says. "I am so excited that he gets to come to the awards ceremony, because this award is more for him than me."

Mohnike not only sees this award as a reflection of her family's natural tendency to teach, but as a reflection of the high school staff, whose importance she strongly emphasizes.

"The faculty works so hard here," she says appreciatively. "If anyone looks good, it's because everybody else is working so hard to make them look that good."