Rapid City Central senior Caitlin Hafner admits that nominating Dana West as the teacher she wished to honor at the Evening of Excellence academic banquet was not an easy choice.

"Mr. Evans (Dakota Middle School history teacher) inspired me to do well. Mrs. Farrar (chemistry teacher at Central) was the most organized teacher I've ever had. Mrs. Schwab (another Central science teacher) also stands out. And then of course there was Mr. West."

Caitlin, who said she has always enjoyed school, has experienced a wide variety of the educational opportunities available in Rapid City.

She attended elementary school at St. Elizabeth Seton, and was homeschooled for her first two years of middle school.

"This allowed me to move ahead and challenge myself," she said. "But I missed the social aspect of school, so in eighth grade I attended Dakota Middle School. This proved to be a great experience and helped me prepare for high school."

At Central, Caitlin is a part of the chamber orchestra, has taken advanced classes and is dual-enrolled this year at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.

She said teachers who are passionate about the subjects they teach and make them interesting at the same time inspire her.

"I love teachers who are organized and prepared. Also, I am inspired by teachers who not only challenge their students, but at the same time respect and care about them."

Caitlin considers Mr. West to be "a truly phenomenal teacher and person." She said he has a great personality and sense of humor.

"He makes calculus fun, and that is not easy to do," Caitlin said. "Between limits and anti-derivatives, he throws in Tootsie Pop trivia, Sudukos and funny phrases such as 'you bet your bippy,' 'the kitten's caboodle,' the 'whole shebang,' and a 'piece of cake,' 'can of corn,' 'walk in the park.' He is not an easy teacher by any means, because he makes you work very hard for a good grade. I hope one day I can be as dedicated to my job and enjoy it as much as Mr. West does."

West's willingness to help his students when he is "off the clock" has impressed Caitlin.

"He makes himself available to his students from the beginning of his workday into the evening," she said.

She also appreciates the interest West has in his students, in and out of the classroom, and has taken notice of his appearance at ballgames and concerts.

Caitlin, an accomplished musician, credits playing the viola with much of her academic success. She began playing at 5 in the Black Hills Suzuki School. She explained that the Suzuki method is based on rote learning, and both parents and the teacher are responsible for teaching the child the music, which the student memorizes

"I can now memorize major concertos and find it easier than most to memorize material for school," Caitlin said.

"One of the requirements in learning to play an instrument is to practice," she said. "I learned that hard work and dedication lead to success. Learning to balance school and activities became important early on, and I had to become very organized."

Caitlin's father, Dr. Dan Hafner, has also had an enormous impact on her academic success. "He was born in Newell, attended Harvard Medical School, and is an extremely hard worker. I see every day his dedication to his job and family. His dedication to learning inspires me to do well, so that I may achieve greatness too."

Caitlin, who plans to major in nursing/pre-med at college next fall, hopes to become a doctor or nurse practitioner one day. "I would like to provide care and hope to people who have none," she said.