A Teacher Who Made a Difference

A few weeks ago I learned about the University of Kentucky's annual recognition of Teachers Who Made a Difference. The program takes nominations from the community in an effort to honor teachers who made a particularly special impact on their students. I read that they were looking for nominations and I immediately thought of Elisabeth's Kindergarden teacher, Mrs. Boaz, and decided to nominate her.

Mrs. Boaz is an exceptional teacher and gives of herself so completely to her students. She has only been teaching a few years but already has a terrific grasp of what her students need. She constantly challenges them to learn beyond their comfort levels in reading and math. She teaches them behavioral discipline and discipline to stick with their studies, even when it gets tough. She is supportive and I just could not ask for a better learning environment for my daughter. In fact, Elisabeth started reading chapter books this week and I attribute a great deal of her motivation to her outstanding teachers.

Today we attended the recognition ceremony where 100 teachers across the nation were recognized. Each honoree was asked to come forward along with the person who nominated them. There were teachers nominated by children as young as my own daughter, middle-schoolers, and even adults whose lives were powerfully changed by a teacher's guidance they received years before. It was so wonderful to see Mrs. Boaz recognized for being so committed to my child and her classmates. I am so proud of her and simply feel incredibly fortunate to have her in our lives. We have definitely started Elisabeth's journey through education on the right foot. Congratulations Mrs. Boaz and thank you for everything you do!