By far one of the best enchiladas I have ever met in life, Laura Fernandez is an inspiration to us all. And I mean that as sincerely as possible, unlike my other sarcastic posts. And even though we talk much less now than we did last year, I still admire her work ethic and strength to carry on through hard times in her life.
I can see a lot of myself in Laura, particularly in the way she started out her first year of teaching. She was young, naive, idealistic, and was ready to make a change in the world. And even though those dreams have largely been removed from my reality, I’m glad there’s teachers like her still aspiring to make the world a better place (whereas I have given up). She also has a deep commitment to her family, which I admire as well, hallmarking the values she has placed as deeply important in her life.
I still remember the first week of professional development last year when she helped me put my movie posters up, as crooked as they were (like her face). And I still won’t yet forget the countless memories we had over the course of her first year at the school. I’ve seen so much personal growth in the way she has improved in her management, her teaching style, and her overall attitude with students. Even though her firmness is intact, the heart she has for the kids is still there, and it is obvious in how she treats them.
Go bears go.
Having not talked to her in a while, I was able to very easily guilt trip her into eating dinner with us tonight. I’m hoping the strength of our friendship will carry on long after our separation as Phoenixes.
