Walking into the first day of Advanced Composition, I had no idea what to expect. I especially had no idea it would change my view of the world around me. It was the beginning of my senior year and I always had big dreams of going to a university and having a business major. I had put those dreams on hold because I didn’t think I could achieve them. I had settled on going to a local technical college for cosmetology.
I sat in the front row of Terri Carnell’s Advanced Composition class as she was explaining our first paper. We could either write a college essay or complete an essay for a scholarship fund. I decided to write a paper for the scholarship because I didn’t need to write a college essay for the technical college.
We met in the computer lab the next day where I sat stumped. I didn’t even know where to begin. My supportive friends convinced me to write a college essay, saying there is no harm in applying to colleges. I took their advice. I never wrote a college essay before and never thought about applying to a college. This is where Mrs. Carnell came in.
I walked up to her at the end of class, telling her I was stuck. She simply smiled at me and then started asking me about my life and possible essay topics. She stayed with me until we came up with something together and then I began writing.
The days that followed were one of the most exciting times I have ever experienced. I took time in class to write my essay and apply to colleges. Mrs. Carnell walked around the computer lab, asking every single person in the room if they needed help. She was an astonishing teacher because she corrected our college essays as many times as we needed to make it perfect. I have never known a teacher who had the dedication to take time away from their own families to correct papers. It really meant a lot to me.
As the semester went on, Mrs. Carnell never raised her voice. Instead, she got to know her students as individuals by asking how their day was. As I listened to her, there is one thing that stood out to me. We were reading our new papers and she told the class to be respectful of each person because you never know if a student will be crushed and never talk again. This made me feel so much better, because I have a fear of talking in front of the class. I read my paper with confidence, and even a southern accent.
Mrs. Carnell was without a doubt, the best teacher I have had throughout high school. She showed me that I can achieve my dreams. Even though I am still waiting to hear back from the college, when I do, Mrs. Carnell will be one of the first people I’ll tell.