Teachers
I was a very shy little girl. I was so shy that I shuffled my feet when I entered a room full of people. I lacked self-confidence. Because I was a year younger than many of my classmates (due to my passing an early entry kindergarten test), I thought I was inferior. The teachers that I had for kindergarten through third grade did little to help me come out of my shell. Then came the reading test and Mrs. Hardesty. I took the reading test, convinced that I would be placed in the remedial group. Instead, I was placed in the small group of kids who read exceptionally well. I was incredulous, but then I had to admit, I loved to read books – real books, the kind that serious adults read. And then there was fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Hardesty. She was a lovely, energetic, and whip-smart lady who loved to teach kids. She brought out the best in each and every one of us. My self-confidence grew enormously. I felt happy a...