More than the world’s renowned peace advocates or corporate reformers, I believe that the people you interact with on a daily basis change and shape who you are. Their ideas and small but inspirational acts of kindness are deciding qualities which define them as role models and friends for life. I believe that the people you choose to admire is especially important as a teenager because during these critical years, a person decides who they are and who they want to become.

There are three people who I view as role models for myself: my parents and an English teacher named Mrs. Clark, who I have known and respected for over four years. Her admirable methods of teaching, boundless generosity and warm personality make her worthy of any recognition crediting her as an inspirational educator who has shaped the lives of all her pupils.

Mrs. Clark has an engaging persona which bubbles over into her classes to make every lesson unforgettable and far too short. Her passion for discussion brings out even the quietest among us, and helps to make our learning more interactive and long-term. Mrs. Clark’s manner as a teacher is also very casual and inviting. She relates very well with her students and understands what motivates each of them to reach their academic potential. Her honesty and willingness to talk about any difficulties we are having make her lessons fun, and make the very highest standards seem attainable to us. I think the best part about Mrs. Clark’s teaching, though, is the unpredictable element that she brings to every lesson. It is nearly impossible to anticipate what contemporary issue our exploration of literature will end in each day, and the relevance of it to everyday life keeps us all coming back for more!

As well as inspiring her students, Mrs. Clark extends her generous nature to our school community and beyond. Her passion for knowledge and raising awareness endlessly drives her to contribute to a greater good: expanding the wealth of knowledge available to students throughout the school. She does this through discussions, assemblies and through other staff members to maximise our enjoyment and progress in school, individually and collaboratively. Mrs. Clark is also heavily involved in the fund raising which takes place each year to provide underprivileged families with Christmas gifts. She initiated this several years ago after working with her church on the ‘Manna project’ and, in 2006 alone, our school raised more than $5,600 and provided for eight families with food vouchers, clothes and cutlery. She talks to us about what is happening so that we all feel that we have something to contribute.

In addition to generosity to the greater Houston area, Mrs. Clark has been a great friend and role model to me and many other pupils that I know. She is an eloquent speaker, who presents herself very well to large audiences, and is truly admirable in her methods of carrying a message. Mrs. Clark is also a friend to all of her pupils, and only wants the best for them. Compounded with her knowledge of our academic limits, Mrs. Clark has stretched many of us beyond where we would have pushed ourselves by encouraging us to try new things.

More than celebrities or Nobel Prize winners, it is the everyday people doing extraordinary things who have the greatest impact on who you become. Mrs. Clark embodies everything that an educator, friend ad role model should. One heart can change the world, but people like Mrs. Clark can make it last…