I sat down with physics teacher Michael Arney for this installment of “a conversation with a not-so-average Saint.”
In a student’s time at Trinity, he or she will undoubtedly learn from Arney, whether it be in the classroom or on the field. This year, Arney is teaching two AP Physics courses and one honors course as well as coaching Varsity Track and Field. Some may say that he is vital to the Trinity Prep experience.
Whether he’s providing some humor to a practice problem or giving you insight on a plethora of topics from the walls of his hub of a classroom, this Saint remains exceptional.
Favorite movie: The Usual Suspects
Favorite book: The Calculus Problem Solver
Favorite band: I can’t do this, there are too many to choose from. I love and continue to love to this day a wide variety of 80s bands. Echo and the Bunnymen and Joy division are personal favorites, also some great Minnesota bands like the Replacements and Hüsker Dü. That’s good stuff.
Favorite year: 1987
What makes you “average”?
I put my socks on one foot at a time. I also like fast food.
What makes you “not-so-average”?
I put my pants on both legs at a time. I also have five kids–I like them all.
What has been your favorite moment at Trinity?
The graduations here at Trinity have always been special to me. It’s an incredible experience to see the students you have been teaching for years start their future. My former student, Steven Schelling, had a memorable salutatorian speech in 2013. It was quite fabulous.
I always enjoy the engineering field trips with my physics classes each year. This year I have taken my students to visit Lockheed Martin and Siemens. I think they gain a lot from seeing the working world of science.
Oh, and wings…When I first started teaching at Trinity I shared chicken wings with Headmaster Maughan at a teacher appreciation lunch.
It was an early impression of what my time at Trinity would be like. Great times. Great wings.
What is the meaning of life?
To me, the meaning of life is simply trying to become the best person you can. I think we all owe it to ourselves to be better.
What’s a change that you want to see?
I would like to see the sidewalk confusion in the quad end. Let’s just pave the entire thing. Let’s chop the trees down and make a concrete oasis.
I don’t believe in turf so concrete would be ideal. The middle schoolers would be happy with the abundance of foursquare space, and we can end the madness with the ever-fragile grass. We’d save a whole lot on caution tape.
If you could tell the students of Trinity one thing, what would it be?
Don’t cry about getting Bs. Bs are okay; in fact they’re great. Students should be working to do their best, not to be perfect. Also, take any class you can from Dr. Personette. He’s a treasure.
If you could go back and tell yourself one thing, what would it be?
Don’t leave dry-erase markers out in the open when you’re not in the classroom.
