Maddie looked at me as said, “You need to tell her. This is serious.” As we walked into the ghosted hallways of Arrowhead High School, my body shook and my eyes filled with tears. Growing up with trust issues, opening up about things was never my strong suit—even at the age of 16. But I knew I had to tell someone. Ms. Kocour grabbed my hands and told me everything was going to be okay. That was the first time I realized I could truly trust someone. 

After explaining my situation, I was too big of a wreck to go to class. Taking me into a small, enclosed classroom, she let me rest and take time for myself. There were several other students in the classroom, but Ms. Kocour checked on me every 15 minutes. It showed me she cared about my well being—and that even with a full class of students, she still took time out of her day to make sure I was okay. It made me feel important and loved by someone who genuinely looked out for me. 

A few weeks passed, and I was in and out of the principal’s office. I started having more mental breakdowns and panic attacks. I left class almost every hour to get control over my own body. There were times were Ms. Kocour followed me out of the classroom just to make sure I would be okay. When Ms. Kocour did this, it showed me she connected to what I was going through—she really understood that things aren't always okay. She taught me even when it's dark, there is always light at the end and that it is okay when things don't go as planned.

She taught me there is someone I can trust and go to and that I’m not meant to keep my emotions hidden. Ms. Kocour was one of the few teachers who showed me my battles weren’t only meant for me to fight and that there was someone I could turn to when I needed reassurance. She treated me like one of her own kids. 

As the years went on, Ms. Kocour was no longer one of my teachers. But that never stopped her from asking me how I was every time I passed her in the hallway. She would often shoot me an email just to check up on me. Truthly, I couldn’t be more thankful for a teacher who actually believed in me and helped me through so much.

So, thank you Ms. Kocour. Thank you for being one of the only teachers I can turn to when I need a shoulder to cry on. Thank you for being the one teacher who I could connect to on no other level. And thank you for being the most heart-to-heart teacher out there. I couldn’t have gotten through the past few years without you.