Mrs. Huizen by Jainyn

Mrs. Huizen by Jainyn - March 2023 Scholarship Essay

I will never forget the kindness and compassion of my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Huizen. During this point in my life, my parents had recently finalized their divorce, and my brothers and I tried to navigate living between two houses. This was especially difficult for me, as the oldest and only daughter, my siblings looked up to me through the difficulties. At home, I tried to be as strong as I could for them but at school, this facade crumbled. On top of dealing with my parent’s divorce, my family struggled with money and finances. My siblings and I wore old clothing, past the time it no longer fit us. This brought a lot of harassment from my classmates, who jumped on any opportunity to torment my clothes and appearance. I was afraid to go to school and face this humiliation, and I also felt overwhelmingly depressed at home trying to care for myself and my brothers.
I specifically recall one particularly rough day at school. I was so stressed, I couldn’t focus on any homework or assignments at all. Mrs. Huizen, my lovely teacher, asked me to stay after recess and speak with her in the hallway. I feared that she had noticed my diminishing grades, and would send me to receive disciplinary action in the office. She ended up doing quite the opposite. I remember the first thing she did was pull me into a huge hug, and I could barely hold back my tears. Since it had been so long that I had been taking care of everyone around me, I didn’t realize how much I needed that care in return. She asked me if I was okay, and if there was anything she could do for me. I didn’t say much, because I was still processing the question that no one had bothered to ask in such a long time.
It seemed that she understood this because she told me that she would always be there for me, whether I needed to talk to her, to get away from my house, or even just another hug. At that moment, I felt a spark of hope. I no longer felt alone, and the weight on my shoulders seemed lighter now that someone recognized my struggle.
I went on at school, finding the workload easier now that I didn’t have to hide my feelings. Mrs. Huizen never let other kids pick on me again, and always kept her offer available to me. She even suggested once that because she lived nearby, she could take me shopping for new clothes or just let me get out of the house for a bit. These moments of compassion from her meant more to me than I could ever express to her, and I now carry her kindness with me everywhere I go.
I am going to be graduating in a couple of months, the salutatorian of my class. I owe so much of my pride and success to Mrs. Huizen. She showed me that I am worth something, and showed me patience every step of the way. Without her guidance, I would have given up on myself and school. But she offered me hope to make it through every year, one step at a time. I will forever be grateful to Mrs. Huizen for her kindness, and I hope one day I can inspire someone as she inspired me.