She blinded me with science! by Marc

She blinded me with science! by Marc - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

I think it is great to point out teachers, and what they do. Teachers can be extremely inspiring, and they can empower us to do our best. However, when I met Mrs. Liz, my 9th grade Biology teacher, she did that and more. She helped me to do my best in a different kind of way. I guess I should paint the picture for an understanding of context. I attended (and still do) a local high school in Homestead named the Medical Academy for Science and Technology. This school provides a very lenient course compared to most schools, although I still thought it was tough.
At first, I had the usual jitters of high school freshmen. I remember I got a few C’s on my 1st report card, and often having to look up answers on my homework. That was usually because I did not know what to do with this new material. I often found myself giving up at the slightest raising of difficulty, although never publicly. This is, morally, where Mrs. Liz came in. She, as aforementioned, was my 9th grade Biology teacher in the 1st class period. Saying that she went above and beyond her teaching is and overarching understatement.
She provided class materials (videos, notes, links, etc.) on her custom website (it still exists, with the link right here: https://sites.google.com/site/mrslizscience/home). It was extremely helpful to the students (and me) whenever we needed assistance on our homework. Her work was so valiant that my mother even recommended her as Miami-Dade County Science Teacher of the Year. She also helped me overcome my confidence for working hard. She understood that I was a unique teenager who would need a tad more assistance. Her assistance helped me deal with the stresses of work, and has gotten me to the point where I am today. On my final report card, it was mostly A’s and B’s, with no C’s to be found. I think it is safe to say she helped me to learn that it is essential to work hard.