The ambulance is on its way. The vibration of getting hit by a car settles in as the adrenaline wears off. Her bike lies smashed, shattered and separated. She prays her body doesn’t end up the same. While riding her bike, Ms. Trina Bower signaled to cross the intersection, but she was hit by a van. Sent to the hospital, she was bruised from head to toe. Two weeks later, Bower was told by her doctor that she might not be able to run or bike again, her main hobbies. But within the week, Bower was back at school.
To some, she’s an average person. To most, she’s a math teacher. But to me, she’s a role model, an idol, and an incredible teacher. She has a gift of spreading smiles and a desire to learn. And most importantly, she has a way with words and helping.
Bower was my Advanced Algebra teacher. And by semester’s end, she forced me to overcome my struggles by requiring me to always put in 100% effort. Every day in Bower’s class, I looked forward to learning. Games. Suduko. Notes. All of it caught my attention and left me wanting more. Math was no longer a struggle, but it was now something I began to like—and even love.
Bower knows in order to learn, you must have fun. So at the end of every class, we’d have review problems. We would do them with our group, and if they were all right, we’d get a sticker. Whoever had the most stickers at the end of the lesson got extra credit on their test.
During class, Bower wrote notes on the smart board and would make sure every kid in class knew what was going on. If one student didn’t, she’d step back, ask questions, and then go over it again. Bower didn’t care how many times she had to repeat herself. If her students weren’t confident on doing every problem, she was willing to help.
Bower is more like my best friend than anything else. We have a relationship people can’t quite understand. When it’s time to learn, we get right to work. But when the time to have fun, we don’t waste a minute.
Bower is a true role model. I hope to find a job where I’ll impact people’s lives just like Bower has for her students. I want to push through tasks and accomplish everything I do, just like Bower taught me. And lastly, I want to make people smile, just like Bower does.
Since her biking accident, Bower has overcome her severe injuries and is now doing activities that doctors thought would never be possible. Her dedication and determination allows me to see what I want to become when I’m older. Successful. Supportive. Strong.