I am nominating my Gifted teacher, Linda Barker, to be considered for Educator of the Year. Linda Barker is the kindest and most caring teacher I have ever known. She allowed me to join the Gifted program at my school, even after I failed the test, because she knew I would benefit from it. She chose to see the potential in me as a student rather than my potential based on a test. That was in my fifth grade year, and I am now a senior in high school. Throughout the years of her being my teacher, she mentored me and encouraged me to become a better person. She provided me and others with opportunities to explore our interests and offered us experiences to further our education. Some days she would bring in a pile of popsicle sticks, string, tape, and hot glue and challenge us to build an apparatus that would be able to meet a goal. She did not tell us how to build the apparatus, instead she sat back and made us invent our own designs. She taught us to apply what worked and failed through trial and error. Mrs. Barker would ask us our future plans and help us to work them out–even going so far as to help several of our classmates into high school or college level programs while they were still in middle school. I grew as a thinker, creator, and volunteer-minded human because of her.

As her students grew older, she started to offer them ways to apply for scholarships, internships, and college programs that would help them later on in life. She took us on academic tours of colleges, and, when we voiced what path in life we wanted to follow, found specific programs which would be beneficial to us. Linda Barker wanted the best for us, so, when we grew argumentative and non complacent, instead of trying to shut us down she invited our school principal to listen to us openly discussing ideas on how to better our school and community while he provided feedback–an action she never needed to take.

Linda Barker has also helped me on an individual level. I asked Mrs. Barker to write a referral for me so that I could join the National Honor Society at my school, and she went above and beyond. Instead of just writing a basic referral, she wrote about my character and personality in detail. She wrote about characteristics of myself that I did not think anyone noticed, but she had. She asks about how her students are doing even years after they leave her workplace, and she makes time for each of her students no matter what. Linda Barker cares so deeply for every student she crosses paths with. Besides being an incredible teacher, Mrs. Barker is an incredible human being. For her kindness and exemplary actions towards her students, I ask you to make Linda Barker the Educator of the Year.