Nobody ever said growing up would be easy, and the sea of life isn’t always as calm as we would like. However, everyone has a guiding light they turn to when the going gets tough. For me, teachers are that light. Teachers can have an eternal influence on their students' lives, and much too often their importance goes unnoticed. Students should take the time to recognize, and to thank our teachers every day for their hard work and dedication.
In such a short time, my AP Chemistry teacher Mrs. Duke has impacted my life greatly. From her, I’ve learned never to settle for less than my best, and to have confidence in my own abilities. I was convinced that motivation could only come from oneself, that nobody could motivate me to believe in myself the way I should and to work to my full potential. That is, of course, until I met Mrs. Duke. Her belief in me, and in all of her students, has moved us to work harder than ever and make her proud by achieving all that we are capable of.
An anonymous quote reads that "The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book." There is no better example of this than Mrs. Duke, whose love and dedication toward her students is unmatched. Even with her many responsibilities as an A.P., she finds all the time in the world for her students. The door to her office is always open, and she’s never too busy to sit down and help, no matter how long it may take. In only three months, she has taught me to set no boundaries for myself and strive to be the best. Perhaps more importantly, her leadership by example has led me to help others as much as I possibly can. Words couldn’t explain how lucky I consider myself to have her as a teacher and how appreciative I really am of all she does for us.
-Joshua Zarcone
Student, Herbert H. Lehman High School