Back in April, I focused part of a post on another very influential teacher, Miss Harper. She was my high school theatre director. Truthfully, I've been sitting here for several minutes trying to figure out where exactly to begin in an attempt to explain such an astounding person.
I think I'll start from the beginning; that usually seems like a smart move.
When I was a freshman, my best friend at the time, Jasmine, told me that the One-Act Play she was in was short one of its roles and there would be an audition reading that night. The weird thing is, I don't remember much of that reading, except walking away with the role. I bring this up because that was my first taste of "acting," my first attempt, really (unless you count the Wizard of Oz spin-off in the fourth grade... which I don't). Jasmine loved it and, if I'm remembering correctly, was actually quite good at it. She told me that I would love it, too, so I decided to take a whack at it.
Is it terrible that I can't even remember what the play was called? Why can't I remember? Because just two days later, I had to drop it due to scheduling conflicts. I remember, though, during those two days, being told how special it was to work with Miss Harper, how much fun it was. For those two days, I was intimidated by the whole situation, including Miss Harper and the cast of the show.
For whatever reason in the Universe, I got that little taste of theatre, but didn't become fully immersed in it until the next school year when I played Annie in Annie. I've talked about it before, that pivotal moment right when I saw the cast list on the callboard when Miss Harper put her arm around my shoulder and said, "Now, we're going to have to work on getting you out of that shell. You can't be shy anymore."
And somehow, in those few seconds, I was immediately attached and drawn to this teacher and determined to come right out of my shell in order to make her proud. Rehearsals were alien to me, but Miss Harper was very clear and helpful and explained anything I didn't understand. She was very patient with me and so kind to me, too. I made the decision, during the run of Annie, that I would absolutely take a class from her the next year.
I had boy problems during my sophomore year. I had my first boyfriend, my first kiss, and my first heartbreak. I was (and always have been, I suppose) a bit dramatic, of course, but I also wore/wear my emotions on my sleeve. The day after John and I broke up, I was walking down the hall to the choir room, which was just past the Black Box classroom. Miss Harper usually waited at the door as her students came into her class each day so that she could greet them. I would always say hello to her. This particular day, I was really down in the dumps and didn't really know how to handle what I was feeling. Miss Harper knew something was up and sat me down to talk. I skipped choir that day and, instead, sat in her office and cried and cried to her about what I thought, at the time, was the worst thing that could even happen to a girl. It was a bit pathetic, considering John and I had only been dating for a couple of months. She didn't make me feel like what I was saying or how I was hurting was wrong or pathetic, though. Instead, she just offered kind words and a listening ear.
By the time I left that day, I realized that I had placed all of my trust in this person. She had been completely selfless and completely helpful. I was so grateful for that. Throughout the rest of the school year, I would come by and visit every now and then even though I wasn't in the theatre classes. I would hug Miss Harper on the way to choir. We would talk about what I wanted to do with my life, and I'm pretty certain she's the very first person I ever told my "Castle on a Cloud" Les Miserables experience from 1994 (you can read it at the very end of this post). She encouraged me to consider enrolling in theatre classes for the next year.
And I did. From there on out, I participated in the department in any and every way that I could - the drama club, the Leo Awards, the fall musical (Into the Woods), the spring One-Act Play (J.B.), the garage sale, the car washes, you name it. That continued through my senior year with The Wizard of Oz and By the Bog of Cats. With each day, I felt myself growing as a performer. With each day, I was becoming more and more passionate about it.
I won't get into too much detail, but I will say that Miss Harper helped me through some extremely steep moments of my teenage life. She did so with such love and care that I am floored when I think about it now. She never judged, only lifted me up. On the flipside, she also strongly encouraged my performing aspirations. She challenged me to work harder. She tested me. She questioned my choices. She complimented and constructively criticized.
Because of her support and her believing in me, because of her pushing me toward my goals, because of her teaching me and giving me the proper tools to grow as an actress, I believe she has been an important guidance to get me where I am today. Because of her kindness and her spirit and her heart and her teaching skills and her passion for the arts and her understanding and expression of them, I have been able to pursue a career that has become one of the single-most powerful forces in my life.
She truly has a gift of teaching; I would be a fool to not show some gratitude to her for pointing me in the direction that I was meant to go in in order to chase my greatest dreams.
Today she is the teacher that I keep in contact with the most from grade school. When I am home for the holidays, I like to make it a point to see her, to catch up with her. But when I'm not home, even from 1,500 miles away, I still feel that amazing support I always felt when I was in her classroom or in her rehearsals. She affected my life, she blessed my life, and she continues to do so even now.
...
So it's clear, as I've highlighted these wonderful people in my last few posts (and even ones further back this month like Jim and Adam), that I have really lucked out in the teacher/mentor department. Interestingly enough, though, when I decided that I was going to do this, that I was going to point out these great people, I didn't know how effective it would actually be. On me. How much it would touch my heart to write about them.
Each one made me feel proud of the people that have been part of my education. From Miss Hunter to Jim Christian, from Mrs. Ritchey to Mrs. Owens, these people have so powerfully made such permanent and precious handprints on my heart. It hasn't all been rainbows and butterflies; some of these men and women taught me lessons that were very difficult to learn; sometimes I needed a good metaphorical slap across the face, and they were the best ones to do it.
I have attended eighteen and a half years of school, and as my schooling (for now) comes to an end, it's my turn to give back. I must, in my day-to-day experiences and actions, make these people proud by living what they've taught me, whether it be in math or nature or reading or singing or performing or appreciating or analyzing or health or safety... I really could go on and on forever. I choose to give back to them by being a good person and by living my dreams and my life in a way that would make even myself proud.
The coolest thing is, I'm not the only one who feels this way about these great people. These amazing men and women continue to alter and touch the lives of so many students, day in and day out, even after retirement. I hope that those who are learning from them are not taking them for granted.
For whatever reason in the Universe, I got that little taste of theatre, but didn't become fully immersed in it until the next school year when I played Annie in Annie. I've talked about it before, that pivotal moment right when I saw the cast list on the callboard when Miss Harper put her arm around my shoulder and said, "Now, we're going to have to work on getting you out of that shell. You can't be shy anymore."
And somehow, in those few seconds, I was immediately attached and drawn to this teacher and determined to come right out of my shell in order to make her proud. Rehearsals were alien to me, but Miss Harper was very clear and helpful and explained anything I didn't understand. She was very patient with me and so kind to me, too. I made the decision, during the run of Annie, that I would absolutely take a class from her the next year.
I had boy problems during my sophomore year. I had my first boyfriend, my first kiss, and my first heartbreak. I was (and always have been, I suppose) a bit dramatic, of course, but I also wore/wear my emotions on my sleeve. The day after John and I broke up, I was walking down the hall to the choir room, which was just past the Black Box classroom. Miss Harper usually waited at the door as her students came into her class each day so that she could greet them. I would always say hello to her. This particular day, I was really down in the dumps and didn't really know how to handle what I was feeling. Miss Harper knew something was up and sat me down to talk. I skipped choir that day and, instead, sat in her office and cried and cried to her about what I thought, at the time, was the worst thing that could even happen to a girl. It was a bit pathetic, considering John and I had only been dating for a couple of months. She didn't make me feel like what I was saying or how I was hurting was wrong or pathetic, though. Instead, she just offered kind words and a listening ear.
By the time I left that day, I realized that I had placed all of my trust in this person. She had been completely selfless and completely helpful. I was so grateful for that. Throughout the rest of the school year, I would come by and visit every now and then even though I wasn't in the theatre classes. I would hug Miss Harper on the way to choir. We would talk about what I wanted to do with my life, and I'm pretty certain she's the very first person I ever told my "Castle on a Cloud" Les Miserables experience from 1994 (you can read it at the very end of this post). She encouraged me to consider enrolling in theatre classes for the next year.
And I did. From there on out, I participated in the department in any and every way that I could - the drama club, the Leo Awards, the fall musical (Into the Woods), the spring One-Act Play (J.B.), the garage sale, the car washes, you name it. That continued through my senior year with The Wizard of Oz and By the Bog of Cats. With each day, I felt myself growing as a performer. With each day, I was becoming more and more passionate about it.
I won't get into too much detail, but I will say that Miss Harper helped me through some extremely steep moments of my teenage life. She did so with such love and care that I am floored when I think about it now. She never judged, only lifted me up. On the flipside, she also strongly encouraged my performing aspirations. She challenged me to work harder. She tested me. She questioned my choices. She complimented and constructively criticized.
Because of her support and her believing in me, because of her pushing me toward my goals, because of her teaching me and giving me the proper tools to grow as an actress, I believe she has been an important guidance to get me where I am today. Because of her kindness and her spirit and her heart and her teaching skills and her passion for the arts and her understanding and expression of them, I have been able to pursue a career that has become one of the single-most powerful forces in my life.
She truly has a gift of teaching; I would be a fool to not show some gratitude to her for pointing me in the direction that I was meant to go in in order to chase my greatest dreams.
Today she is the teacher that I keep in contact with the most from grade school. When I am home for the holidays, I like to make it a point to see her, to catch up with her. But when I'm not home, even from 1,500 miles away, I still feel that amazing support I always felt when I was in her classroom or in her rehearsals. She affected my life, she blessed my life, and she continues to do so even now.
...
So it's clear, as I've highlighted these wonderful people in my last few posts (and even ones further back this month like Jim and Adam), that I have really lucked out in the teacher/mentor department. Interestingly enough, though, when I decided that I was going to do this, that I was going to point out these great people, I didn't know how effective it would actually be. On me. How much it would touch my heart to write about them.
Each one made me feel proud of the people that have been part of my education. From Miss Hunter to Jim Christian, from Mrs. Ritchey to Mrs. Owens, these people have so powerfully made such permanent and precious handprints on my heart. It hasn't all been rainbows and butterflies; some of these men and women taught me lessons that were very difficult to learn; sometimes I needed a good metaphorical slap across the face, and they were the best ones to do it.
I have attended eighteen and a half years of school, and as my schooling (for now) comes to an end, it's my turn to give back. I must, in my day-to-day experiences and actions, make these people proud by living what they've taught me, whether it be in math or nature or reading or singing or performing or appreciating or analyzing or health or safety... I really could go on and on forever. I choose to give back to them by being a good person and by living my dreams and my life in a way that would make even myself proud.
The coolest thing is, I'm not the only one who feels this way about these great people. These amazing men and women continue to alter and touch the lives of so many students, day in and day out, even after retirement. I hope that those who are learning from them are not taking them for granted.
They are truly some of the best people I have or will ever know.
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