She was the escape mid-day I so desperately needed and searched for throughout my middle school years. Nurse Beth, at Swallow School, was constantly guiding me in the right direction and would be there with a helping hand at all times. 

“It’s way too cold out for recess. I just want to spend some time here,” I would say constantly. 

Sometimes she would sigh and tell me, “Claire, you need to go outside!” 

However, I always won her over as she allowed me to stay. She is a very warm, devoted, and bubbly person who is generous and careful with all of the kids—treating them as if they were her own. 

I felt very stuck during this time in my life. I had been dealing with my dad dating someone new, who I had trouble getting along with. I would tell Nurse Beth about my struggles with the relationships with my dad and she selflessly gave me advice and validated my emotions when I felt they were never validated. 

Over my seventh and eighth grade years, we grew closer as we exchanged conversations about our lives. Above all, she is a Mom to two kids, a runner, a dog, a honeybee, and a chicken owner. I felt incredibly relieved and grateful for how refreshing it was to have someone like her in school who I got to know and understand on a personal level as she shared her life through pictures and stories. She genuinely embodies what it means to be a selfless person and she most certainly translates her care for her family and her children to her students, especially me. 

In March of my eighth-grade year, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and my middle school years were abruptly cut off. She knew how much she meant to me and kept in touch via email with me weekly, occasionally meeting on Google Meet. She checked in with me, made sure I kept up on my assignments, and gave me updates on how quarantined life was going. She knew I was struggling with being stuck at home and the battles I had maintaining good relationships with my family. 

I am always captivated by how much she cares for her students, tending to both their physical and emotional needs. She is passionate about her job and loves the students and the community she works in, allowing her to be the best candidate for her job undoubtedly.

She felt like a sanctuary for me—allowing me to both laugh and cry in her office. I aspire to be as generous and understanding. Thank you for taking me in kindly and being the hope to get me through middle school. You have bettered me as a person and I thank you for allowing me to always stay in tune with my emotions and reminding myself that I already have the ability within to push through difficult times.

I am forever grateful for my relationship with Nurse Beth. She’s truly incredible.