Mr. Lee Tran is unfortunately leaving our school with his last day being 2/4/22, and the Bugle and the entire Basis community would like to take a moment to appreciate everything he’s done. Mr. Tran started teaching at the very beginning in 2011 when Basis Peoria first opened its doors. Throughout his tenure, he’s taught the rigorous courses of AP Government and AP US History to each year’s ninth and eleventh graders. His intense passion for teaching combined with his unique methods has allowed students to flourish and succeed. Mr. Tran always goes above and beyond, spending countless hours each week to give his students the best possible experience one can receive. Also, many of us not only consider Mr. Tran as a teacher, but also as a respected mentor and dear friend. He’s helped each of us in ways unimaginable from dealing with stress or guiding students through the college process. Mr. Tran, your presence has truly impacted the lives of hundreds of students, and words are not enough to describe our thankfulness. You have left a wonderful legacy, and we wish you the best of luck on your future endeavors! We would like to dedicate the rest of the piece with personal experiences that students & teachers have shared with Mr. Tran.
Personal Experiences
“I was honestly really scared of Tran in the beginning, and honestly I did not show as much interest in AP Gov, even though I had always been really interested in political science, because of the online setting. However, coming in person during the end, made me realize that Tran, really isn’t that scary, he’s actually really really kind. Most of all, I’m happy that I got a chance to organize this tribute article for him! I’m really grateful for his help, he always had a certain mode of enthusiasm and interest in the topic he taught, and it reflected on us all. I also want to thank him for how patient he was with me, when I was bothering him so much about mock trial. It really is unfortunate that he is leaving, room 224 won’t be the same, without him sitting there he is, but I would like to wish him luck for his future adventures in life!”
– Mounika
“Hi Mr. Tran! We are all going to miss you so much! To say that you were a wonderful teacher would be an understatement. I truly could not thank you enough for all the support and encouragement you have given me the past few years! When I first thought of taking AP Gov, I honestly thought it was going to be really boring, but over time I really grew fond of the class. I learned more than I ever thought I would about the U.S government and politics and for that I want to thank you so much! Also, I am so honored that you allowed me to be a part of a mock trial. It has taught me valuable skills that I will forever remember! And lastly I want to thank you for helping me become a better person! I have learned a lot about how to become a better writer because of you and most of all learned to believe in myself. If it weren’t for your constant feedback and encouragement, I wouldn’t have been as prepared as I was for the AP Gov Exam! I am going to miss you so much! Thank you for everything!”
– Gowri Gopakumar
“Mr. Tran, thanks to your classes I have gained so much confidence in my writing and public speaking. I have realized that I am capable of more than what I may think. AP Gov and APUSH were two of my favorite classes taken at BASIS because it gave me a chance to learn more about our country and it gave me important knowledge about systems like voting! Thank you for your unwavering dedication to your students.”
– Haley Christman
“Mr. Tran was a really prominent teacher in my life; he taught me many things and I love the way that he teaches. He loves all of his students and it is evident because he wants us all to succeed on our AP’s.”
– Taariq Haroon
“Mr. Tran, thank you for always pushing me to do my best in every situation. You gave me the confidence to push myself to the next level each and every time I thought I couldn’t. You helped me gain a passion in the humanities, and I value the time and effort you put into all of our classes.”
– Anonymous
“Mr. Tran, you have been a huge inspiration and are one of the main reasons that I am the person that I am today. Out of all the classes I have taken over the years, your classes were the hardest yet interesting. From the lessons about the U.S. government to the extensive lessons about U.S. history, you have given me the knowledge that I would never trade for anything else. Because of you, I am more confident that I will achieve my goals. Thank you for being an amazing teacher, Mr. Tran!”
– Anonymous
“Thank you Mr. Tran for teaching our class, and caring so much about us. I actually found the topic we learned in class really interesting, and I loved it very much. I wish you good luck for your future endeavors, and we will all miss you!”
– Anonymous
“Mr. Tran created a very difficult course that helped challenge and push me as a student. I never knew what I would be able to achieve with my first ever AP class but with the diligent nudge in the right direction and structured method of teaching, I was able to get higher than I expected with even a 5! I’m glad that I was able to be pushed academically and I thank Mr Tran for doing so.”
– Anonymous
“He was a wonderful teacher who tried his hardest to help us out. Thank you Mr Tran for everything!! I owe you a lot for helping me pass AP Government! I’m very sad to see you go but I wish you the best! Please come back and visit us sometime!”
– Anonymous
“He honestly is the best teacher I’ve ever had, and he cares about his students a lot. Thank you so much for teaching us!”
– Anonymous
“Mr. Tran, your classes were by far the most difficult I’ve ever taken, but they were also the most rewarding. You taught us about the systems that govern the US, about how to craft a well structured argument, and how to identify the problems I’ll face in the future, so thank you for helping us attain these powerful learning tools that we’ll undoubtedly use for a long time to come.”
– Anonymous
“The most memorable moment in his class was once when he was lecturing, he accidentally hit the top of my head with his elbow. He immediately apologized, patting the top of my head. From that moment my view of him changed, and I realized that he was a really kind person.”
– Anonymous
Student and Teacher Surveys
What do you like the most about Mr. Tran?
> Quiet sense of humor (and appreciating my humor) – Mr Karl Huck
> His dedication to teaching his subject to his students. – Mrs. Hagerman
> His ever unbiased nature and dedication towards the students. – Mrs. Gouri Siduvu
> That he makes sure we are overprepared for the AP, so we feel confident going in. He also has a pretty laid-back personality, which is much appreciated. – Adarshini
> He is very passionate about helping us learn what we need to learn and in the process connects everything to our modern world, which makes the learning process all the more interesting. – Abir
> I absolutely loved the way he was so passionate about his teaching, and he had this constant, radiating smile that would compel you to become interested in the subject he was teaching, even if you had no interest in the first place. – Mark
> For me personally, he’s always been pretty understanding and kind and encouraged me so much before the AP in 9th grade. – Anonymous
> He’s taught us a lot about history, but also a lot about what we should be doing and can be doing in our future. I am grateful for all of the advice he has given us over the years. – Anonymous
What was your favorite moment(s) with Mr. Tran?
> Sharing a room with him at the old building – Mr. Huck
> Anytime seeing his warm smile! – Mrs. Angela Peart
> As a mother of one of his students, my favorite moment was the help my daughter got from him after she came back from a 15 day sudden trip to India. – Mrs. Gouri Siduvu
> When he said “big daddy government” – Aparna
> When we did the gov debates in class, Mr. Tran said he loved our argument! – Navya
> I enjoy the occasional jokes he makes. They are often quite unexpected and because of that, they are all the more entertaining. – Anonymous
Do you have any well-wishes for Mr. Tran leaving?
> I trust you will move on to further greatness wherever you go…whatever that may be I wish you all the best. -Mr. Karl Huck
> I wish you all the best in your future. You have made a significant and lasting impact on our school and our students. You will be missed! -Mrs. Charlotte Hagerman
> Mr. Tran, I hope your future endeavors will take you to your most favorite places and times. Wishing you all the best, always. -Ms. Anglea Peart (with Alex and Amanda)
> We’ll miss you so much Mr. Tran! Thank you so much for being a part of our lives, and you have made such a positive impact on us – both in our education and as people. -Aparna
> Whatever it is that you do after this, we know you will do well just because of who you are! You are truly a one-of-a-kind teacher and person! -Abir
> Thank you so much for the past couple of years, Mr. Tran. I am extremely grateful for all that you have taught us in our classes, and for all of the time and effort you have put in to help us improve.
-Anonymous
The high schoolers also made multiple signed posters for Mr. Tran as a going away present.
Make sure to give Mr. Tran your well-wishes, and all of us at the Bugle hope that he is successful in his future endeavors. Mr. Tran, we will truly miss your presence and thank you again for all your years at Basis! Goodbye for now.
Article co-author credit: Mark Zheng and Mounika Mandhari
