Theatre Teacher, Counselor, Father-Figure, Friend. by Amelia

Theatre Teacher, Counselor, Father-Figure, Friend. by Amelia - June 2019 Scholarship Essay

The title above is comprised of the first words that come to mind when I think of Benjamin Shurr- my high school theatre teacher of 4 years. I am not sure I can properly express my gratitude and admiration for Shurr, but I intend to use this essay as an attempt.
Mr. Shurr was the first teacher that truly showed care for me beyond the lengths of an average high school teacher. I entered my first class with him as a freshman- a naive, ambitious, vibrant freshman. I was expecting many things: lessons in performance, lively discussions, maybe a friendship or two. A life mentor was not something I anticipated in the slightest.
I like that term: life mentor. This is what Shurr became for me. I still remember the first deep conversation I had with him. I was experiencing turmoil at home, due to a mental illness my father refuses to treat. Shurr’s undivided attention and sheer honesty was refreshing. He treated me with respect, and thought about the words he said to me carefully.
That conversation prompted a floodgate of topics I felt the need to discuss with Shurr. I suddenly had an eagerness for his opinions, viewpoints, and thoughts on subjects I was curious about. Shurr made a point to be open to conversation with anyone- but it was up to the student to seek out his counsel. That was perhaps an underlying beauty of our relationship: If I hadn’t opened my eyes to the support that teachers offer around me, I wouldn’t have found a true mentor in Shurr.
Over the course of my 4 years in high school, I found myself taking multiple courses that Shurr taught, solely for the way he guided his classes. I considered new perspectives, traded stories of childhood hardship, and offered questions I never before had the courage to ask. Shurr contributed observant responses, and made me feel heard.
It is quite difficult to choose just one lesson Shurr taught me as the focal point of this essay. Perhaps the biggest lesson I absorbed over hours of discussion is that I will never stop being a student. I will never stop learning, and questioning, experiencing, feeling- and I never want to.