A fifteen year-old girl does not walk into her first day of sophomore year thinking that AP United States Government and Politics would be the make or break of her school year. I never felt that a teacher could have such an impact on levels deeper than my schoolwork and structured learning; that was, until I met Mrs. Lindmair.

There are certain qualifications required to be a teacher, correct? Qualifications such as, you know, a bachelors’ degree, completion of an approved educator preparation program, and a teaching license issued through the state. What you can’t find in a list of requirements to be a high school teacher is the ability to connect with your students on a personal level. Being able to teach a subject is one thing, but being able to get your students to learn it is another. Mrs. Lindmair makes herself available to her students in ways to both aid in their learning and provide support for things outside of the classroom.

During my sophomore year, there was an influx of change occurring in every aspect of my life. Such changes began to affect my schoolwork, so I approached Mrs. Lindmair one morning before first hour. Walking in, all I had for her were some requests for a little extra time on an assignment or two, and all that came out were tears. I had never cried in front of a teacher prior to this, it was completely unexpected of me, but I had never felt as heard as I did in that moment. Not an ounce of judgment emitted from her. She told me to disregard the assignment and asked if there was anything she could do to help my situation. She is one of the only teachers I’ve had in my entire high school career to accept the fact that there are some things that trump schoolwork.

For the rest of the year, I made frequent trips to the social studies office during my 9th hour study hall. Mrs. Lindmair provided me with unbelievable support both academically and personally. We grew very close and she even agreed to be my reference for my lacrosse team’s captain application.

Mrs. Lindmair was one of (if not the) first teachers to treat me as a true individual. Her ability to handle different adversities in and out of the classroom is far too good for words to describe. She deserves the utmost respect from her students, as she reciprocates it back to them in full. She is one of the only teachers to understand that learning is subjective and completely unique to each and every student, while also holding her students accountable to their work.

I extend my deepest gratitude to Mrs. Tamara Lindmair as she was the biggest benefactor of my sophomore year.