I have never been the perfect child ... nor have I always been a good kid…
but there is someone special who understands that.  This person has never doubted that I can (and have) changed for the better.

I may not be that kid that excels in sports, but that’s ok because this special person in my life helped me learn how to play chess. This person knows, understands and supports me and he is my step father, Paul Anderson -- but he is so much more than a step father.  He is a mentor, life coach and motivator.

Throughout my life, there have been some tough times and Paul has never left this family! For instance, I had to go to court for something that I did, and ended up in juvenile jail. He  stood by both my and my mother’s side for the whole 4-5 years.

He has always been there for me no matter what. For example, when the neighborhood kids were bullying me, he would always step in and help me.

He has sacrificed  (and still is sacrificing) things so that I can live happily. For instance, he has been forfeiting getting three meals a day so that I can. Another example is, he had to forfeit his time and money so that I could go to my court hearings.

Lastly, he has always tried to help me in some way, even if it doesn’t always work out. For example, he helped me achieve my goal of going to state for the chess team for Arrowhead. Another example is that he attempted to teach me how to swim (multiple times.) It didn’t work, but that is OK because it shows that he cares.  For all of these reasons and more, I am nominating him as my Teacher of the Year.