You’re caught in the crossfire, and you don’t know what to do. Bullets are flying left and right as people holler commands. Then, everything stops, and you’re at that state of limbo; surrounded by a big shield where nobody can hurt you. That shield is Master Chief Frank King. Not only has Master Chief King devoted over 30 years in the Navy, but he is now a dedicated teacher at Delaware Military Academy. Master Chief King is not only a hero, but the best educator that has ever taught me. He’s the only educator that takes the time to know his students, helps us learn more than just school work, and helps us prepare for the future. You’ve never seen an educator like Master Chief; he’s one of a kind. I’m about to give you a glimpse of what a real educator looks like. 

In the Navy, you are taught to be tough. You aren’t supposed to wear your heart on your sleeve. Expressions say a lot about you, and I for sure have a lot of expressions. Some of them are obvious, and it doesn’t take a mind-reader to know when I’m sad. There’s not some big flashing arrow about your head that tells people your emotional state. The first time I really got to see Master Chief's true colors was when I came in all disheveled. I had tears pouring down my face, and I couldn’t focus. I just had my biggest secret told by my supposedly “best friend”. Master Chief pulled me aside and asked what was wrong because I didn’t seem like my normal, smiling self. I confided in him, and just by talking to him it made me feel better. To know that someone actually cared about how I was feeling meant a lot to me. The best part was, there was no judgement about my situation in his eyes. When I told him what happened, his only look was concern. We all know everyone has their opinions on every topic. Him, he just listened. He taught me that I do have an outlet; I can be vulnerable, and someone will be there for me. After that day, I really felt connected to Master Chief, and I knew I had someone to talk to if I wasn’t having a good day. 

 “We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here now with the power to shape your day and your future”. Those are famous words from Steve Maraholi. We are taught that life is hard, and we are going to make mistakes. How many times has someone said you made a mistake, and you didn’t even know what you did? Whether we want to admit it or not, we aren’t perfect. In fact, we are far from being perfect. Master Chief King gets that and helps us learn from our mistakes. He teaches us to own our mistakes. That’s the only way we can learn from them. He tells us to not be ashamed of our mistakes and to embrace them. For instance, for my school we have inspection which is a time when higher ranking students come and make sure we wear our uniform properly. I was in charge of getting my platoon, class, ready. I had to call a command in order for them to get in formation. I pronounced the command incorrectly, and it didn’t help that everyone was silent at that time. My face was all red, and I just wanted to curl up in the corner. Master Chief reassured me that I was fine, and it was only a minor mistake. He told me what I should’ve said and tips for remembering what to say. Next time still, I was made fun of by my whole class, but Master Chief had my back and told them to stop. He said no one would be perfect at leading the class during inspection their first time. Of course as high schoolers we are going to make plenty of mistakes, and he expects us to. Instead of just yelling at the person who made a mistake, Master Chief will show them where they went wrong; he will not just leave them to hang dry and ponder on why their choice went wrong. Sometimes we don’t learn from the first mistake. We brush it off our shoulders and play it off as a joke. Then, around the corner comes a mistake at full speed. Master Chief is patient with us and helps us get through it no matter what. He’s always there to help us get up when we get knocked down. Like the Pledge of Allegiance says, “one nation”, we are one team, and Master Chief embodies that saying. 

I’m in the highest English class and math class I can be in for my grade level. I’d like to say that I’m smart. It’s been drilled into my head that good grades will get you a good job in the future. Well, the future is almost here. Life isn’t just about having a good job and making a lot of money. What about the social aspect? Do any of your teachers help you with learning how to settle an argument between friends, get over someone, or just learn how to be a good person? Master Chief does, and I bet a lot of people can’t name an educator that does that. Master Chief not only teaches us about the Navy and its careers, but also socially how to deal with different people. Would you rather have a lot of money and be lonely or a decent amount of money and friends? I used to say money, but then it got me thinking; what’s money if you don’t have anyone to do something with? Wouldn’t you feel really lonely? I can thank Master Chief for helping me learn to deal with others and to just learn how I can be the best me. He really wants the best for everyone, and it’s noticeable. 

When you were younger did anyone ever ask you who your hero was? Everyone would always say their mom or dad or even a superhero. Me, I could never name someone. I would list attributes of what I think a hero should be. For instance, someone who has your back no matter what, someone that won’t judge you, and someone that will help you grow. The list goes on and on. Now, when someone who asks me who my hero is, I can say Master Chief Frank King. I know everyone has their opinion on who they think should win this prestigious title of Educator of the Year. Of course I think this title fits Master Chief King like a glove, but not everyone can call their nominee their hero. I think that’s the greatest honor you can ever bestow on someone.