Impact- Having a strong effect on someone or something. People can leave impacts on others, negative or positive. I wholeheartedly believe students that have met or will meet Lauren Ahrens are truly blessed. She has an amazing impact on her students, and I know, even years later, they’ll remember her genuine kindness.

Ms. Ahrens has a way of understanding others and their needs. If students were confused about a health lesson, she would go out of her way to help them. If students were struggling in gym class, she would motivate them and cheer them on to do the best that they could, and it worked. She has such an open-minded approach and is extremely supportive. Ms. Ahrens makes everyone feel comfortable and welcome.

All of her goofy stories and lessons she’s shared with her students will stick with them. Ms. Ahrens has a way of making learning fun, and keeps you interested, so you fully process the information. She is extremely good at assisting her students and is so caring of their needs. If I needed help on a project, had a sports question, or just needed someone to talk to, I would go to Ms. Ahrens, and she always managed to put a smile on my face. Her kind and trustworthy manner also shows how she is always there for her students.

I was able to not only have her as my teacher, but as my coach, for two sports! The way she encourages and inspires her athletes is a very special way that not every coach can achieve. She can have fun with the girls while instructing and supporting them at the same time. Even in eighth grade, when she told me she couldn’t coach softball like she had the previous two years, she still told me that she would come out to the games that she could make, and of course she did! She was one of the biggest cheerleaders there. Ms. Ahrens always believed in me 110%, even when I didn’t believe in myself. Whether it was school, sports, or anything else, she was there.

With all of this said, Lauren Ahrens is surely one of my biggest inspirations. Her way with words, her kindness, bubbliness, goofiness, and supportiveness are all outstanding. There are many beautiful words that I could use to describe her, and these are the reasons why I nominate her for Educator of the Year, which she rightfully deserves.