If there was one phrase to describe an ideal teacher I think of someone who loves the subject they are teaching and who they are teaching it to. My physical education teacher Coach Dollar is a deserving teacher who exemplifies someone going above and beyond to make school more enjoyable for her students.
I met Coach Dollar at 7:30am on my first day of high school. My palms were sweaty, heart racing, and legs shaky. I walked into class and saw the most genuine and honest woman standing in front of me. She introduced what my Dance Styles class was about and it wasn’t until then did I start to relax and take a few deep breaths. In the eighty five minutes of class time she was allotted she was already everything I had dreamed of a teacher to be. She was honest, outgoing, caring, and hard working.

Every other day for a year, the time I spent in her class I couldn’t help but admire the depth at which she cared for her students. Not only did I find myself arriving to her class on time but I found myself trying very hard to succeed; I wanted to earn her respect. After freshman year I found myself revisiting her during advisory periods and lunch time. The most amazing thing though, was that I was not alone. Kids passing through the hallway stopped to say hello, senior boys came in to crack jokes with her, and many people came in when they needed someone to talk. She became a voice of reason, second mother, and role model for me.

Coach Dollar is known for speaking the truth, in a polite and honest way. She does not sugar coat conversations just to make you feel better, but she helps you find the positive in all situations. Her office is a safe haven for any student to be themselves. She has taken her time to quiz me on flash cards for upcoming tests, talk about college, learn life lessons, and share funny stories. I was honored to spend a day with her at Cortland University, her alma mater and my dream school. She took her time on one of our days off from school to give me a tour of the campus and introduce me to people. Moments like those, are the reason why I and many others have made it so successfully through high school.

Along with being a Physical Education and dance teacher, she voluntarily runs our schools dance team that performs during the half time of the varsity basketball games. She is a devoted wife and mother of a beautiful girl. Although Coach Dollar has received awards from the school and other organizations, she is worthy of an award coming from one of her students. She is an inspiring educator, and charismatic person. I am overly appreciative of everything she has done for my classmates and I!