I live in a town of 35,000 and teach in a town of 6,000 and everywhere I go, I have people come up and talk to me and say they have been to a workshop I taught, or heard that I was a good teacher. I've been Teacher of the Year and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't get called on the intercom to help someone.

Just this week, I was mentioned by the Valedictorian in his speech and our new Teacher of the Year in his speech.

When the sup't has a job he wants done, he asks me. He even walks down to my room.

Everywhere I go, I get a smudgy hug from a little child. I can bring my check the next time if I forget my checkbook and need something from the EZ shop.

The greeter at Wal-mart knows my name and half the checkers are people that I've taught.

I can e-mail the V-Pres of the bank and ask when I can come in. I can e-mail the bank workers and ask them to get my bank balance for me.

Why, two times this week I've been to the Sonic and had my order half-price because I'm a teacher that they said they appreciate. I got a free Dr. Pepper the other day.

I got out of a speeding ticket the other day because I was the state trooper's daughter's teacher the year he was shot in the line of duty and he appreciated the visits and concerns.

Sometimes people come up to me and ask me to do something because they have heard that I'm a person that will get things done.

I feel very famous and valued because I teach in this community.

I have written the total truth and it is the truth that this fame means the world to me.