I remember walking into my home one day, eyes bruised from a lack of sleep and tears. I remember her seeing me, seemingly limping in her direction, her face frightened as if I was from the Walking Dead. My worries fade as I feel her arms cradle around me, her warmth completely recharging my tired battery. 

Wait…this is not my mother. My vision unblurs and I see Mrs. Markano’s joyful smile. The walls around me spin as what once thought were the kitchen supplies and cabinets of my home, turn into the familiar shelves of plays in her classroom. Although I was clearly in Arrowhead Union High School, this room, for this moment, felt like home.

There was something about Mrs. Markano that made her stand out to me as someone I could look up to. She was an English teacher who made it clear how much she cared about her students. But not only was she a kind and compassionate English teacher, she was also a hardworking and determined director as well. 

Being the head honcho of Arrowhead’s Drama Department, Markano always knew how to get the cast to lock in, whenever they would fall out of line. Her voice everytime joking, but strict when she would threaten to “toss us into the dumpster” for misbehaving. Yet her passion for drama spread throughout the rest of the cast like it was the Black Death. That passion is what has inspired me to want to continue my own passion for acting. 

When I got an email from the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities, saying I was being considered for a spot in their prestigious, and limited, Acting program, I jumped with joy immediately running into the theater to find Mrs. Markano. I remember her cheers as she yelled: “Oh my god! That’s freaking awesome.” Her praise music to my ears.

I think a big part of why Mrs. Markano felt so motherly is because of how she would talk about her son. Anytime she would tell us stories about how her and her son would play board games together, or when she helped him move into his first house, we were reminded of the way that she treated us. We could almost relate to the stories about her son, like younger siblings listening to stories about their older brother. 

Mrs. Markano is one of the most passionate and kindest people I have ever met. Her very existence has had such a huge impact on my life and my development as a person. I don’t know what else I can say, but a simple thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Markano, for being someone who pushed me to be the very person I am today, and to continue my path as an actor in college.