By Tessa Nacke
Imagine this.
You are walking across the basketball courts, on your way out of campus at the end of what seemed to be an eternity long last period. You can’t wait to finally go home after a tedious, monotonous, school day.
Then, you hear it. An exuberant voice radiating from the open door of Room B2. Laughter accompanies the voice, piquing your interest.
You walk near the door and take a glance inside.
All at once, posters, toys, motivational posters, and colors galore rush in, taking over your vision.
This is English teacher Steven Schultz’s room, an atmosphere full of pure color and imagination.
Schultz has been teaching at Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) for 14 years. For an additional seven years, Schultz has also been serving as a basketball coach and a school board member. Not only that, but Schultz was also a former FVHS student.
Room B2 is a reflection of Schultz himself, as well as the metaphors and lessons he teaches.
“Everything in here is a teaching tool to bring the learning to life and hopefully change your life in some way,” Schultz said.
Schultz is known for teaching deep lessons about leadership, and loving others. He often teaches these lessons through physical objects to really convey and help students understand the metaphors.
His lectures have touched many lives, even years later.
“A lot of the stuff in my room of our gifts students have given me that have a symbolic nature to it from a lesson they’ve learned from me that they want to remind me and show appreciation for,” Schultz said.
His room features photos of influential leaders, former students, and most prominently, toys.
“To become a better writer yourself, remember how you felt like to be a little kid to be full of wonder, curiosity and imagination,” Schultz said.
Schultz finds that writing is such a key part of one’s life. It influences people to become better and in turn, help others become better as well.
“The actual name of this class is English Language Arts…I want to show that writing is every facet of your life,” Schultz said.
To become more creative and imaginative, one must enter the place where they were most creative….their childhood. This is why Schultz focuses on bringing out the inner child in his students through toys found around the room.
Schultz started this collection of items right away.
“I wanted to be different. I didn’t want to be one of those boring teachers,” Schultz said.
Schultz has remained strong in his beliefs, even through peer ridicule and adversity.
“I’ve had other teachers make fun of me for it. I’ve had other admin tell me to get rid of it, tell me to take it down,” Schultz said.
Schultz firmly believes in the artistry of writing. In his classes, he encourages students to dive deeply into their minds, to create and to peck away at the keyboard like a woodpecker.
When Schultz lectures, the class can be seen sitting at rapt attention, and even students from other classes sitting in on the lectures.
“Our room should be attracting people that want to learn, and too often it’s just barren walls. It’s sterilized. This is not a laboratory. This is an artist’s room,” Schultz said.
An artist who creates, explores, writes, and loves others with their entire heart.
With so many objects in the room, Schultz has got to have favorites, right?
This is a framed letter from the former Vice President of the Orlando Magics, Pat Williams. This letter contains a request, asking Schultz to send in writings for a future Chicken Soup for the Soul Book.
“It was my first piece of national publication…and so that one letter changed my whole life,” said Schultz.
After his debut of two stories in the Pat Williams Book, Schultz would go on to write for Fountain Valley Living for 11 years, and write more stories for 10 Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
His writing would have a national reach, all thanks to that letter.
This statue was a gift from Schultz’s niece, and provides a reminder everyday.
“It always reminds me to ignore the haters and the naysayers, and build your dreams,” Schultz said.
Back then, when Schultz was a baby, people used to shoot off guns to celebrate New Years. Loaded guns, mind you.
“My mom just happened to pick me up out of the crib and walk me over somewhere else. And about 10 minutes later, a bullet went through my roof and landed into the crib I was just in,” Schultz said.
If baby Schultz had still been sitting there a little longer, he would’ve died.
“That one stranger I’d never met who decided to shoot off a gun to celebrate New Year’s almost ended all my years…it’s a reminder to everyone that every little decision you make has a profound impact that reverberates throughout time,” said Schultz.
These two wrestling belts are a big deal to Schultz. Gifted to him by two different students, these belts remind him that real leaders make others feel like a champion.
Former sophomore student Andrew Morgan was a wrestler at FVHS. His goal was to win the five counties wrestling championship, which is held at FVHS.
Unfortunately, Morgan did not win his sophomore year. He was very distraught, but Schultz reminded him that “you don’t need a belt to be a champion. You’re champion in my eyes, but just keep training…I believe in you.”
Morgan took those words to heart. Two years later, Morgan had won the five counties championship! He finally achieved his goal.
“He gave me his five counties championship belt, and he said that no one had a bigger impact on his life than me…Here’s this big buff, real wrestler, and his most prized possessions in his life at that point, he gave to me,” Schultz said. “It blew my mind and it really shows you the power of leadership.”
As a child, Schultz had always dreamed of being a WWE fighter, even if his physical self was not able to.
“[Andrew] wanted to make my childhood dream come true and gave me a championship belt…It was cool, as this little five year old in me fulfills that,” Schultz said.
Years later, former sophomore student Max Wilner saw Morgan’s belt, and was inspired to reach the same goal.
Wilner was never a student in Mr. Schultz’s classroom, but he was often found in his room, soaking in the lectures.
“He first came in here because the room drew him in…” Schultz said.
He was determined to reach the same goal as Morgan, and win the Five Counties Championship.
“On Max’s very last day of senior year, he walked in and he gave me his five counties belt. And again, I was never his literal teacher… but we spent a lot of time together,” Schultz said.
This goes to show the power of room B2. It draws students in, and helps shape themselves into better people, who elevate others.
“Two of the best wrestlers in the school gave me their belts and made me feel like a champion, and that’s the power of elevation leadership,” Schultz said.
Overall, room B2 is a room that symbolizes love, leadership, and laughter. You can always learn in Steven Schultz’s room.
