Teachers change lives every day

Thank you, Mr. Wall

Author: Kayla Colbert
Teacher's name: Gord Wall
Teacher's school: Mobile Central High

I entered junior high school as an awkward, slightly overweight, still-trying-to-find-my-place teenager. I was welcomed to grade 7 by a sports enthusiast for a homeroom/LA teacher. I thought there’d be no way to find common ground with someone like him.

After a few days, Mr. Wall had proven me wrong. Through his humor, compassion and energy, he quickly became one of the greatest influences in my life.

Mr. Wall taught me to love reading and writing. He broke me out of my shell and built my confidence to levels I never thought possible. He pointed out all the things I was good at and helped me forget that I wasn’t good at sports and other activities that my friends were good at. He made me a leader. He inspired me to teach.

Mr. Wall never taught me again after grade 7 but was my “go-to” teacher all the way through grade 12. As I grew older, he taught me how to move on from situations that brought me down and how to be a better person for that. This is something I will never forget.

I believe that many of my accomplishments are because of the confidence he gave me and how much he always believed in me. I now teach in Alberta and when one of my students asks me about my favorite teacher in high school, I immediately start telling stories about Mr. Wall and the positive influence he had and continues to have on me.

Mr. Wall, there are not enough words in the English language to explain to you how great a teacher you are but I hope to be half as good some day. Thank you.

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