Ever have one of those days where you just need a person to vent to, laugh with, and help forget your troubles? That person for me was my gym teacher Mr. Pomeroy. He was so reliable and trusting that he automatically became my go-to teacher. As an eighth grade girl, I had a few mood swings and bad days. One day, I was angry with my family, my friends, school, and everything else possible. He sat me down and let express my feelings. He didn't judge or look bored; he instead gave me advice and and was extremely uplifting. I could tell he took special interest, which always made me feel so much better. From then on, we would have these talks everyday before fourth hour. He was the type of teacher anyone could depend on.

One day after I graduated from Merton Intermediate school, I was volunteering at a feeder school run. I was helping the kids put their numbers on their backs before the race. Just as I was getting off duty, I heard a familiar voice saying, “Okay everyone, we’re warming up in ten minutes.” I glanced up and saw my beloved gym teacher. Worry swam over me as I questioned, will he remember me? I ran over to greet him, and it felt like nothing had changed. He was still the same kind, caring, and compassionate leader who was always there for me throughout middle school. It touched my heart knowing he remembered specific things about me like my friends, my sister, my interests, and times we had at Merton. This showed me how much his students meant to him. He took interest in our lives and he listened to us.

Aside from being super connected with his students, Mr. Pomeroy was excellent at motivating his students. It is rare to meet a kid that doesn't complain about the mile run or pacer for standardized fitness testing, but at Merton, there wasn't really a need. Mr. Pomeroy’s energetic persona made exercising fun, which is why I became passionate about it. It was a class that almost anyone could enjoy. However, he understood it wasn’t fun for some kids, so he would take that extra step by participating with the students and being our personal cheerleader. I remember one year running the mile, and there was a group of girls who practically refused to run. He understood their feelings on running, even though they differed from his own, so he ran the last lap with them. He cared about each one of us and took the time to learn our strengths and weakness.

Mr. Pomeroy always had a soft spot for those kids who either sat alone at lunch or played by themselves at recess. He inspired his students to reach out to those kids and make them feel welcomed. He illustrated the kind of guy he was in high school; he was the guy who went around and socialized with everyone. His loving and outgoing personality changed our perspective and made us become better people. He acted as our role model and someone to look up to.

An Educator of the Year should be inspiring, thoughtful, and passionate. He or she should not only teach school material, but also life lessons. Relatability and trust are key to student and educator relationships, and that is why I nominate Mr. Matt Pomeroy.