When a teacher says, “Class, today we will be watching a video,” there is enough spirit in the room to power an energy plant.  But when Ms. Jorgensen showed us recent footage of her Olympic bound sister--running her way from the back of the pack to the top of the podium in a triathlon--I could not help but feel a sense of pride.  A connection.  Having this celebrities’ sister as my teacher was enough to satisfy my craving for fame.  I saw the determination glued on her sisters face.  This tenacity taught me that greatness lies within everyone.  It is those who seek it that discover their true potential.  I was driven by this athlete’s example to find my greatness waiting to be uncovered.              
Ms. Jorgensen couldn’t compete with her sister’s athletic stamina; however, she did have a talent that touched far more lives.  This woman could TEACH.  Not the “throw everything in your face all at once” kind of teaching.  Or the “I’m going to ramble for 40 minutes while the class daydreams” kind of teaching.  Ms. Jorgenson had a style of teaching so different from the others that it should have been classified as an art form. 
As we piled into our first day of Advanced Composition, she handed each student a white packet with black text.  Great, another useless waste of a tree.  But as we opened the packet and began the lesson, I discovered something.  This packet was actually intriguing.  The modern lingo and funny metaphors were a refreshing way to learn the techniques to become a commendable writer.  The small act of selecting a thought-provoking packet was reassurance that this semester was going to be anything but a waste of trees.
  She began each class period sitting on top of her desk, just talking to us.  She would ask kids about their weekends or some new thing that was going on at the school--stooping down to our level so we would feel respected.  
Ms. Jorgensen was able to get through to so many student because of her relatability and unthreatening dimenor.  When a student did not give the correct answer to a question, she would work off the answer they gave--saluting that student for their efforts contributed.  This allowed me the courage to brainstorm ideas other teachers might classify as risque.          
There are two words that come to mind when I think of Ms. Jorgensen’s classroom atmosphere: laid back and efficient.  And somehow she displays the perfect balance of each.  Her ability to drop the “I’m a high and mighty teacher ego,” encourages the class to give their honest input.  Her determination to see every student achieve “their individual greatness” is evident in her enthusiasm.  And her subtle nudges saying you can do better Morgan, almost there, guide me to form a style of writing unique to myself.