Viewpoint: A celebration of our teachers

“Every day here in America, teachers with patience and creativity are opening doors for students to reach deep within themselves to learn more, to solve problems, to grow and to nurture their dreams, and that we do this work with conviction — that’s not unusual. It isn’t even rare. It happens in America’s classrooms every day and I need you to know that.”

— Rebecca Mieliwocki, 2012 National Teacher of the Year.

By Parker Beatty

As a young child, I would wonder why I had to go to school; an institution that I now recognize as my second home. Over the years, school has enabled me to grow and develop as a person, beyond just being an expert on simple facts from textbooks.

I cherish the relationships that I have with my teachers. Whether in the classroom or in the hallway, I consistently greet these wonderful people with, at the very least, a humble smile and a friendly “hello,” and I am privileged to have it returned with appreciation.

The talented and inspiring teacher in the room is like a beacon of light among students, selflessly guiding them to an achievable higher understanding. I believe teachers go above and beyond what many people do for their jobs, whether it’s “Calculus Camp” in Julian over spring break, a rock climbing/biology field study overnight trip, a research paper excursion to Geisel Library, extra tutorials, or a simple listening ear. Our teachers are making a tremendous contribution to the community by using their time and talents to educate the next generation so that we can have a successful future. The least that I owe them is my best work and a positive attitude whenever I come to class.

My teachers’ altruism throughout my years in the public school system has inspired me. Similar to the way teachers help students, I want to change the course of a person’s life by giving help to them when they need it most. As a volunteer at the UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest, I feel that I have made a difference by assisting the professionals at the nursing stations on floors four through eleven. My prompt responses to the numerous electronic pages from the many floors have always been met with a gracious “thank you” and kind smile by the attending secretary. A nurse confronted me once, and personally conveyed that, “it does not matter how smart some of these doctors are today. Your kindness and hard work means so much more, and it will take you far.” Passing by and glancing into patient rooms inspires my curiosity and sparks the internal hope that maybe one day I could help them recover. I want to become a doctor so that I can save lives and help those that are suffering. I firmly believe that a profession that results in the healthful improvement of the community and the lives of others is what defines true success.

I look back to my younger days when I wondered why we had to go to school and I smile. We are submerged in an environment where our experiences teach us how to adapt socially and intellectually. In the end, it is the dedication and respect demonstrated by others that gives life to a community. Those with sophisticated knowledge and experience, such as teachers and parents, will always be guiding us to the path of success. They will hold the door open as long as I put in the effort to get there.

Parker Beatty, a Sabre Springs resident, is a senior at Mt. Carmel High School and will be attending UCLA in the fall. This was one of his college application essays.

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Posted by Staff on May 11 2012. Filed under Columnists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry