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Hope Blooms – Story Honoring Ms. Bloom

By: Roxana Alvarezhope-blooms-story
Student, Meadowview Middle School, Hamblen County

I’ve had a lot of amazing teachers that have taught me to be smart and think outside the box, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t had one that’s more inspiring than the others. I guess that’s what you can say about a teacher who encourages you to have a dream and follow it no matter who you are or what your background is.

When I was younger, I always wondered what might become of me since I had no dream, no encouragement and, most importantly, no inspiration. Was I going to have a good job? What would I be when I grew up? –Someone important? –Someone people looked up to?

All of my questions were finally answered the year I met Ms. Bloom. Ms. Bloom was my fourth grade teacher at Springdale Elementary. At first I thought she was too hard on everyone. Like me, most of my classmates thought she was a little too strict. Later, I came to realize that she wasn’t being hard on us; she just wanted us to be the best that we could be. In time, she taught us to understand her. She expected her students to be orderly and well organized. Sometimes she made me laugh and have fun, but her top priority for us was always learning.

For some of those students, Ms. Bloom might still be remembered as the worst or the meanest teacher; but she’s not thought of like that any longer by me. Why? There was something different about Ms. Bloom. She believed in me even though I was Hispanic. She believed in me even though I wasn’t an American. Her words lit up my insides.

Because of some family problems (my Mom and Dad didn’t get along and finally divorced) I didn’t feel like there was very much “light in my life.” I didn’t have many friends with whom I could talk. So, I was quiet and very timid. I didn’t like to think about what was going on around me, I didn’t think about the future. Everything changed when Ms. Bloom helped me take a long, hard look at myself. I learned from Ms. Bloom. She taught me actual life lessons.

Ms. Bloom taught me a lot of things, but there are three things I’ll always remember. The first thing she taught me was that if I got bad grades to keep trying and eventually I would bring them up. The second thing she taught me was that without effort nothing can be accomplished. “Without effort or without trying how can anything ever get done?” she would say. Finally, she taught me that with hard work and encouragement or inspiration any goal or dream could become reality.

Even though I’m not in Ms. Bloom’s class anymore I still follow her rules. Right now, I try to keep my grades up as much as I possibly can, I try to do everything with one hundred percent effort, and I’m aware that with encouragement and inspiration from present-day teachers I can become anything I dream.

Thanks to Ms. Bloom I believe in myself. Once she said to me that it shouldn’t matter if I’m Hispanic. If I have a plan and follow it no matter what stands in front of me then I should be ready for anything that lies ahead.

When I’m even older than I am now, I know I’ll remember Ms. Bloom. She inspired me. Being Hispanic or being poor or hanging on to bad memories won’t change things. But getting the chance to be told that no matter where you’re from you can still become someone great. I changed because of Ms. Bloom. I want to someday be a Ms. Bloom. I, too, want to become someone great in the life of another.

Should I someday become a lawyer, I wish to share with others what Ms. Bloom gave to me—Hope. Ms. Bloom gave me hope.