She’s not the typical teacher. She combines all her knowledge and years of experience in a wonderfully exciting and entertaining way. Her never-ending insight – and outfits that her students adore – make her special. I wholeheartedly believe she deserves to be an Educator of the Year.

Miss Suiyen Smith became my homeroom teacher in my first year of high school and has remained with me through my third year. She teaches English brilliantly, but Miss Suiyen has always been known as the drama teacher. As tenth-grade drama class began, so did my insight into just how busy, bizarre, and beautiful her life is – and how mine was about to become so.

Educator is a title that minimizes what Miss Suiyen does. Providing her students with an education is a mere speck among the seemingly endless tasks and duties scheduled in her diary. She teaches us the syllabus effortlessly, but for a drama teacher, there’s another aspect to class that requires time, patience, and more time: practical work. For exam preparations, Miss Suiyen gives us the opportunity to meet with her so she can help us work through our performance pieces. This often amounts to four sessions – about four hours – for every student in every drama class in the school. These rehearsals can extend into the evenings and weekends with no benefit to her and all the benefit for the students.

What sets Miss Suiyen apart from other educators is more than the “death looks” she shoots across the class or the temporary fear we possess before asking her something. She can just as easily be seen as a mentor, a role model, an actual human being with puffy eyes after no sleep who asks for our opinion when debating whether or not to buy shoes on sale.

On camping trips, for instance, in those moments of free time when my friends and I gather in our tent pigging out on our stash of snacks, Miss Suiyen comes in, plunks down on a sleeping bag, and begins a conversation like an old friend. She also accompanied us on the most amazing trip to the beautiful city of Cape Town. The week of adventures we had were undeniably the handiwork of this creative teacher: an amazing race throughout the city, finding a local market dubbed a jewel that few people get to experience, and the most colorful and cozy accommodations.

As head of the drama department, Miss Suiyen organizes auditions and acting competitions, and she works on characterization, costumes, transport, accommodations, and encouragement for each student. Beyond that, she creates a musical. As a participant, I was given a glimpse into her sleepless nights and stress-filled days. If a musical doesn’t take place, a talent showcase does. This may require less direction on Miss Suiyen’s part, but she still must deal with shy, forgetful, sometimes rude and downright immature students – which is an enormous challenge as well. She also manages the budget and advertising and converts the back of a classroom into a theater for a night, complete with lighting and a backdrop.

For our annual drama camp she managed to pull some strings so we could receive lectures and workshops from the best drama department in South Africa. We got to experience a university in all its glory and take exciting tours. We attended lectures by industry professionals and workshopped with a professional theater company. It took an enormous effort to make this possible.

Above all that, Miss Suiyen inspires aspiring students with her acting, dancing, and singing. She won second place at the World Championships of Performing Arts and received a scholarship to study in New York. She shares knowledge that can only come from experience and success.

She has a passion for teaching and unfading faith and heart. She is a hardworking, inspiring role model who I am proud to call my teacher.