It is difficult to say that only one teacher made a difference in my life, but if I had to give a name to only one of them, it would have to be Sister Kathy of St. Juliana's School in West Palm Beach, Florida. It is one of my most memorable years of school because is was such a positive experience in my life.
I transferred from a very rough public school after spending just one year in its halls, where I was constantly intimidated by my teacher and my classmates. I do not remember my first grade teacher's name, but I do remember that I was scared of her to the point, that going to school every day was emotionally torturous. She never did anything to physically harm me, but it was her demeanor that scared me. When my parents told me they were going to place my sister and myself in a private school, I was ecstatic at the idea of a new element and new friends. Sister Kathy was everything my first grade teacher was not. She was excited, happy, glad I was there, friendly, caring, creative, entertaining, and loving. Most importantly she made school fun. I looked forward to getting up everyday and going to school to be with her and learn something new. I never wanted to miss school, ill or not, there was no keeping me home. It was not the new environment that made things better, it was her attention to her students that made all of the difference. I felt secure in her class. I was wanted and welcomed. I MATTERED!
I admired her so much for the love and devotion she showed to everyone. She never minded repeating herself, or answering any question. There was never such a thing as a "wrong question". The way she made me feel was what made me decide, in the second grade, that I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to impact and change lives as she had changed mine. I only hope that I will be as successful as she was in accomplishing it.
-- Veronica Paggeot, Florida Atlantic University