Thankful Thursday- After Class is Out

I'm lucky to have this person in my life. I'm lucky, because I was a good student, and attracted the attention of many a teacher, to have the memory of many of the teachers that I worked with in the past.

This Thursday, I'm going to post about my thankfulness for Dr. B.

When I was in year 10 in school, I was taking Spanish, and on the way to lunch one day, he walked into the classroom (this was in 2002, mind you), and was talking to my teacher at the time, when my teacher introduced me as a learning sponge, who picked up everything very quickly, and was very intelligent. I was shocked- this teacher hardly knew me at the time! I was new at the school, so hardly anyone knew me! Nevertheless, Dr. B took note, and would occasionally talk to me when he saw me. It was also quite funny that his older daughter was in half my classes, because she too was an academic achiever, and was in the advanced classes as I was.

The next year, they added what would be the equivalent of a homeroom class to the schedule, divided by last name, and whose class would I end up in but Dr. B's? Certainly this was fate. I ended up doing UIL (it's a Texas competition regulation) academic activities. He was a coach- he watched many of the things I did in some of the other teams. Soon he asked me to participate in Social Studies as well. Seeing as that was not one of my stronger subjects, I declined that year. He still watched what I did in my Spanish and other classes, and was always telling me that I was "Destined for greatness". These words are...very much etched in my head.

My senior year of high school, I finally decided to participate in Social Studies UIL. I was also in gobs of other activities, but I gave it my all. He watched me do all this, all the time warning me not to overwhelm myself- and again, he was my something-like-homeroom teacher (they kept the students together with the same teacher). He would practice with me during "homeroom" unless I was doing my other academic UIL stuff, or my advanced class homework, or off doing colorguard practice or something. He also helped with Spanish, if I needed it (very rarely I did). He came to graduation (typically the teachers do- plus he had a daughter graduating).

Throughout the years after high school, we kept up when visiting during Friday night football games, or I would visit the school during the day. He would ask how college was going- there were ups and downs, of course. He would always give me pep talks, and talk about what an intelligent person I was. I always felt a bit better after talking to him.

Now the school is a bit more hardcore with their security- nobody in or out of the school  unless they go through the office, and they even have it rigged to where you can't get in unless you go through the office. I visit him sometimes, for resumé help and such, and he's helping me with my job hunt. Almost 10 years post-high school (holy crap, it's been that long???) and we still keep in touch, very much so. His younger daughter is in marching band with my younger sister, and we go to the Friday night games still. My sister has him for Spanish class.

It's still good to see him every once in a while and get his pep talks. This week, I'm thankful for the people who stick with you, the teachers who keep track of you after high school, give you pep talks, and even help you after you've graduated high school, even in different fields, because they truly care. I'm thankful for Ms. C, Ms. B, Mr. S, and most of all Dr. B (he's the one helping the most), because without them, who knows where I'd be? Heck, they were my teachers then, and they're helping me now. I'm thankful for the opportunities I've had to keep in touch with them, and other teachers not listed for a lack of a full list sitting in front of me, because they've really made a difference, even after I've left the classroom.

Thank you, Dr. B, for helping me out, even though you may never read this. I hope you do, but if you don't, I'm still thanking you, and thankful for your help.