The Costco Connection

ABSOLUTELY had a favorite
teacher, Mr. Watson, who taught
ninth-grade honors biology. One of
his favorite sayings was “I don’t require
perfection. I just expect it.”
It was more than Mr. Watson’s dedica-
tion to his subject and his students, though,
that made him my favorite teacher. My
world was topsy-turvy, and I did my best
to hide my abusive childhood. One day, Mr.
Watson said he needed a babysitter, and I
enthusiastically responded. I became their
go-to babysitter for the next four years. His
family invited me to church, and we just
hung out at times. Mr. Watson was a fabu-
lous male role model, and his family wel-
comed me with open arms.

His example as a teacher, a man, a father and just an all-around human being gave me stability and hope that was desperately needed at that time in my life.

Student: Dawn Sha;er Shuler

Teacher: Mr. Watson

School: MacArthur High School, Irving, TX

NN MOLLOY was a teacher in the truest sense of the word.

While her position title at my high school was “librarian,” she was one of those rare people who inspired others to do and be their best.

When she arrived in ;;;; (my sophomore year), I’d had no thoughts (yet) of continuing my education beyond a high school diploma. She inspired me by recognizing my potential, nurturing it often and

A I

Ann Molloy Dawn Shaffer Shuler’s report card from her

1988–1989 school year.

HEAD OF THE CLASS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

of bread, slathered with our own butter.

Miss Bell also was a grammarian who insisted on proper diction, enunciation and pronunciation, and stayed after school coaching any and all students who needed to hone those skills. She made school exciting, fun, horizon-expanding and eye-opening, and she taught us how to acquire the keys to the kingdom through education.

I am still wide-eyed with wonder at the world around me and don’t plan to stop learning as long as I am here.

Student: Nancy Nespechal

Teacher: Miss Bell

School: Ella Townsend Elementary School Montebello, CA

ISS BELL was my hero in first grade. She was an amazing instructor, teaching us to read, She believed that we city kids needed to understand how the world around us worked, including where our food really came from beyond the grocery stores, bakeries, the milk delivery man, etc.

Over the course of the year, we took field trips to a chicken hatchery, a dairy, a bakery, a grocery store and a farmers market (with a trip to La Brea Tar Pits for natural history squeezed in). At the end, we made butter, and each of us presented our parents with a cookie-cutter-formed slice

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f
’
me
h
a
enthusiastically responded. I became their
j
hung out at times. Mr. Watson was a fabu-
i
His example as a teacher, a man, a
e

An example,
and a lifeline
Teaching life skills
An inspiration to learn

Miss Bell, far left, showed students a world beyond the classroom.

Nancy Nespechal is in the front row, second from left.

guiding me in gentle ways to improvement. Her expectations of us demanded that we give our best, so I worked a bit more on my studies away from the library.

She was profoundly instrumental in awakening my potential, and all of my studies thereafter are a tribute to her. I managed to complete two master’s degrees and my doctorate. For all of your guidance in my formative years, thank you, Mrs. Molloy!