I have had many educators in my life over the past 15 years between coaches, teachers, and members of the community. They all have left a mark on my life, but no one has had a bigger impact on me than Vicki Simon. Mrs. Simon was not only one of my volleyball coaches in sixth grade, but she was also my eighth grade English teacher. I knew from the moment that I met her that we would have a special bond that I have never shared with any of my teachers before.

Mrs. Simon was an amazing volleyball coach. She made sure that she knew who I was as a person and a player; she used that knowledge to make me a better player. Mrs. Simon found out my strengths and weaknesses and taught me how to use them to my advantage. She pushed me every day at practice, and she always gave me tips that would help me succeed in games. I continued to play volleyball all throughout middle school and I continue to play in high school because Mrs. Simon had helped me fall in love with the sport and the lessons that it taught. I know for a fact that without her help I would not be the volleyball player I am today.

I was so excited to start my eighth-grade year knowing that I was going to have Mrs. Simon as my English teacher. My brother had her three years ago, and he told me how great she was as a teacher; I knew that if she was as good of a teacher as she was a volleyball coach then I would have a great eighth grade year. It turned out that she was. Mrs. Simon always made sure that our class was fun, even while learning, and she made games to help us review for tests. She related what we were learning to things that were happening in our lives, and she did everything in her power to help her students get good grades in all of their classes. Mrs. Simon made sure to thoroughly explain things, and she never left a student behind. You could tell that she truly enjoyed her job and looked forward to helping her students every day.

Not only is Mrs. Simon an outstanding teacher and coach, she is the sweetest, most sincere, kind hearted person you will ever meet. Her smile always lights up a room and her presence is enough to cheer anyone up. Anytime I was having a bad day and needed to talk to someone, I always went to her because I knew that she would listen and give me advice. She goes out of her way to let her students know that she is more than just their teacher, and that they can confide in her anytime, even after the bell rings at the end of the day. Mrs. Simon makes her students feel like family, and she always puts them before herself. She gets to know each of her students personally and builds friendships with each one. These friendships last even when the school year is over, and she is always there to help and support her students even when they are no longer in her class. I have never met anyone as genuine as her, and I still talk to her today whenever I need something or when I want to check in and see how things are going.

Mrs. Simon is one of a kind, and you will never meet anyone quite like her. Whenever you watch her teach, you can see in all her students’ faces the effect that she is having on their lives. She teaches life lessons just through the stories she tells, and she will do anything to help her students achieve their goals and dreams. If I had never had the honor of meeting Mrs. Simon and building that special bond with her, I would definitely not be the person I am today. She has touched the lives of everyone around her, and I am so lucky to have such an amazing role model in my life.