In 6th grade I walked into a class that at the time I didn’t realize would later have such an impact on me. This class was Business Technology and the teacher was Eva Foxwell. Mrs. Foxwell always has a positive attitude, and her job means everything to her. She has taught me so many crucial skills that are necessary for having a successful future. She has always said “your success is my success” meaning she took pride in every single one of her students. I had Mrs. Foxwell’s class every year in middle school and looked forward to seeing her. Even on a rainy Monday she would wish us all a happy day by saying “Happy Monday!” Mrs. Foxwell’s class was such a friendly and enjoyable environment to be a part of. For these reasons and more Mrs. Foxwell has and should continue to receive the Educator of the Year award.

One of the first things Mrs. Foxwell has taught her students was to be a leader, be the one who will do the things no one else will. Some people didn’t like Mrs. Foxwell, and she knew that. She also knew she would have a huge impact on them for the better whether they realized it or not, and she was right. Mrs. Foxwell in addition taught us time management and how to actively listen. She explained how important it was to not procrastinate because whatever the task was, it would have to be done eventually. Her class motto was “Just do it like Nike.” Furthermore, she taught us how to properly listen, something even adults don’t know how to do. Actively listening shows respect and respect goes a long way—respect is very important in the business world.

Mrs. Foxwell taught very differently from most teachers. Her class was set up as if it were an actual business, and she was the manager. She assigned simple jobs such as attendance manager and assistant manager. If you were an assistant manager, you would greet anyone who walked in through her door, answer the phone and do any other other tasks she asked you to do. These jobs taught me a sense of leadership and responsibility. We were also taught how to be an entrepreneur. In 7th grade we were given the assignment to create a business with a business plan. The business plan included things such as making a flyer, business cards, map of your business and creating a list of everything you would need for your business and the prices. She also told us it was extremely important to have a firm handshake, no “noodle arms.” This unique style of teaching is a major reason why her impact has continued to follow me.

In 8th grade I joined Business Professionals of America, and extracurricular activity led by Mrs. Foxwell. In both BPA and her class in 8th grade I mostly learned professionalism which is another very important skill to have. The main focus of her class for 8th grade was interviews. In your life you will go through many interviews, and interviewing can be very scary. My first interview was for the high school that I now attend, and without Mrs. Foxwell I don’t know if it would have went as well as it did. Mrs. Foxwell also wrote a book on how to manage the business classroom for other business technology classes. She has told us so many interesting stories that always tied into what she teaches. She has told all of her classes the story about her job prior to becoming an educator. She worked at a bank and had an awful, disrespectful boss who made her do an abundance of work in a ridiculous amount of time. This lead her to cry almost everyday, but she would never do it in front of people; she would go into a closet and cry and come out to get back to work. She told herself to never let others see her cry. I have always admired Mrs. Foxwell’s perspective and insight of things.

Overall, Mrs. Foxwell is an immensely caring person who has taught me and many others a lot of valuable lessons over the course of 3 years. Mrs. Foxwell’s lessons, tips, and class will impact my future majorly for the better. Mrs. Foxwell has benefited my life in many ways and is a perfect nomination for Educator of the Year.