From Step Up Advocate to Student Attendance Coach to Teacher, Michael Corenthal — known to students as Mikey or Mr. C — has spent eight years at Franklin High School continuously supporting students and his fellow staff. His dedication to Franklin has made Corenthal a friendly face in the building that anyone can approach when in need.
Corenthal started his teaching career in New York, where he was born and raised, before moving to Portland, Oregon, and becoming a member of the Franklin community. At Franklin, Corenthal teaches Intro to Psychology, Ethnic Studies, and a class that he started himself: Music, Art & Social Activism.
Corenthal knew for a long time that he wanted to do something that made a positive impact on the world. Even though he didn’t always dream of becoming a teacher, he thought, “it would be fun to work with youth because I find youth pretty entertaining.”
When Corenthal first became a teacher, he knew that the education system wasn’t perfect, but he still wanted to be a part of it and help improve the system. Now, he strives to help students get through high school and in the meantime discover their best selves. He says, “I think that it’s very unfortunate that a lot of students walk away from [school] feeling like they’re not bright, or they’re not good enough, or they’re not talented. So I’m passionate about students changing that narrative and [beginning to] see things that are already in them that this world has tried to make them forget.”
The impact that Corenthal has left on the Franklin community is apparent, especially in students who’ve taken one of his classes and his fellow teachers.
Thyson Nguyen, a sophomore, says, “Whenever I feel discouraged to do something, or I feel nervous or worried, he reassures me that everything [will] be okay and that I deserve to have a break, and he knows that I’m trying my best.”
Ivy Love, a senior, says, “Last year was a hard year for me personally and [Corenthal] really helped me complete the year and change my work habits. He also taught me that there is life beyond high school, and to try not to hyperfocus on something that is literally just a stage in life.”
Megan Humphreys, Franklin’s Associated Student Body (ASB) activities director and English teacher, says, “The one thing that’s without a doubt is that he loves students … he has no limit on what he’ll do to support the people around him.”
Elizabeth Kirsch, a Franklin journalism and English teacher, says, “Being friends with Mikey has made me a better teacher and a more thoughtful person. He’s a good friend so I feel very grateful to have him in my life.”
Corenthal has quite a life outside of teaching; as a creative, he loves making music and writing poetry. He hopes to be able to publish a short book of poetry or short stories, and he hopes to be able to make more music. Corenthal knows that teaching can be a big sacrifice and can cause teachers to not have time to pursue their own hobbies and passions, but for Corenthal it’s all worth it.
Corenthal is passionate about social issues and social constructs, and he aims to make sure that students are aware of them. In Music, Art & Social Activism — a class he pitched and created — he’s been able to not just teach students a curriculum, but he’s nurtured educated students who care about ongoing issues in the world. Corenthal says, “I’m passionate about getting students to be aware … how even if they might not be directly impacted by [an event or issue], how we’re all interconnected and how different events [can] impact people in our community. The same event can impact all of us differently.”
Corenthal takes a different approach to teaching his social studies classes — like Ethnic Studies — than most teachers. Victoria Huynh, a junior, says, “I took Ethnic Studies as opposed to [Advanced Placement (AP) United States History] — which seemed exhausting and I wasn’t particularly interested in learning about the hundreds of years of the United States recounted by white men. I’m incredibly happy [with my] decision, [because] his class is so engaging and I often learn about history I would’ve never learned in a typical American history class.”
Corenthal embraces and encourages all cultures in his classroom, and he himself indulges in many cultures. He’s bilingual as he’s fluent in English and Spanish, and he’s a big traveler. He’s been to ten countries outside of the United States (U.S.) — Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, Tanzania, England, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates — and he’s been to 40 states in the U.S. He plans to go to Hawaii this summer, which will make that 41 states. After studying abroad in Argentina and working on a project in Bolivia, he was able to become fluent in Spanish and officially be bilingual.
Corenthal is truly an amazing educator and person who cares deeply about all of his students and everyone around him. He dedicates himself to teaching what he values. He goes above and beyond in his teaching by also showing students how to believe in and advocate for themselves.
As someone who has had Corenthal as a teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how he’s become a trusted adult for so many of his students. For many, he’s one of those teachers that you know you want to keep in touch with even when you don’t have their class anymore.
Corenthal has helped me grow so much as a person and I really wouldn’t be who I am today without him. When I lack self-confidence, he encourages me to do what I love and to aim to achieve anything, even when I think I’ll fail. He’s one of the people who has helped me step out of my comfort zone and share my voice; because of his guidance, I’ve achieved things that younger me never would’ve imagined for myself. I’ve become a better writer, a better leader, and just a better person in general with his guidance. Corenthal is really always there for people no matter what, and it’s truly applaudable. Last month, PPS announced over 30 million dollars in budget cuts, with many student-facing positions being cut. Franklin is losing 10 positions next school year — the most out of any PPS school, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) — including Corenthal. He’s truly become a pillar to the community, and a building missing a pillar will break down and fall apart — which is why we have to urge those in power to speak up and reconsider their decisions.
