Goshen High School student, Brenda Macias, entered an essay into the My Favorite Teacher contest through Barnes and Noble.  She shared about how GHS math teacher, Justin Grubbs, has influenced her life and why she admires and appreciates him. Her essay was chosen out of over 100 entries at the local Mishawaka store, and she won the contest!

Brenda will receive a certificate of recognition, a gift card and gift basket, and will be honored at the Mishawaka store during a ceremony for the winning teacher. Mr. Grubbs will receive a plaque, a gift card and gift basket, and will be honored at the ceremony.

There are five regional winners who will be entered into the national competition, from which the national winner will be chosen.

Good luck Brenda, and congratulations on winning the local competition! And thank you, Mr. Grubbs, for providing a nurturing educational environment for your students!

Below is Brenda’s essay:

An Inspirer. En empowerer. An engager.

These are characteristics that you demonstrate with all of your students, including me, every day. You make me feel supported when you say, “Please let me know how I can be helpful” and genuinely mean it. It’s always nice to be able to notice the excitement you show to learn with me rather than just teach me. You have inspired me to work for the future, empowered me to pass all of my classes, and engaged me to better myself. Thank you.

You opened my eyes to what I could be and what I could do in a way that I never thought possible. You changed my whole aspect on my learning, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. The majority of my brothers haven’t done well in school, even to the point where one has decided to drop out, and the other is so behind that it worries me if he will graduate on time. I think that it would have been a different outcome if they had known Mr. Grubbs. I never thought I could be good in math and whenever I struggled or began to get frustrated, I wanted to give up. Algebra 2 is said to be one of the hardest classes but I never had that feeling because you helped me to understand it.

Your encouragement and persistence has taught me who I am, and that it’s up to me to get to the top. It would be crazy for me to think that things aren’t going to get hard, but thanks to you I’ve learned different ways that help me to overcome the challenges and be successful. Something I always think of when I get frustrated is the following quote, “The best view comes from the hardest climb.”

I am capable, but it will take hard work and dedication. My grades are looking better than ever. I have all A’s and B’s in all of my classes, which I’ve never had before. I know even more now that it doesn’t matter how slowly I go, as long as I do not stop. Sometimes I feel so so blessed and then I realize this is my reality!

Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your time. Thank you for explaining things until I understand. Thank you for making me do my best. Thank you for being my teacher and my friend.