Lisa Neal: Superwoman or Teacher?
Everyone should have a hero. We all need someone in our lives that we can look up to and respect. I, myself, have one such hero. In fact, some might even go so far as to call her a superhero. Yes, I know that when we think of a superhero we find ourselves picturing the generic comic book idea of a person that wears funny pants, a cape, and can fly. Though to my knowledge she can not fly, she has been known to wear some pretty funny pants and I bet that if you asked her nicely she would even model a cape for you. My hero, that just happens to be super, is Lisa Neal.
Lisa Neal, from a distance appears to be an ordinary 7th grade teacher that is involved with many extra curricular activities within the district. She has a fairly large family and spends many of her summers on the stage at a local theater. Thus, she appears to be a fairly decent person. However, take the time to meet her and you will soon find that she is anything but an ordinary woman. She excels on every stage that she chooses to set foot on, whether it be at the local theater or in the classroom. I, personally, have seen her perform on both stages and do not believe that there is another person out there that could fulfill either role as well as she does.
Lisa Neal was my 7th grade social studies teacher. No one student could even begin to accurately describe the first impression that this woman will have on you. Perhaps, the most memorable moment in her classroom was when she showed up to school dressed as Ben Franklin. She acted out a small skit and wrapped the entire class into how dangerous it was for these men to be participating in the signing of The Declaration of Independence. Another wonderful trait that she possesses is the ability to have her class hanging on her every word. Up until that year if anyone had asked me “do you believe it to be possible for a teacher to have complete control over a classroom without yelling?” I would have responded with “nope it is not possible”. She makes it possible. Just one disappointed look from her and even the worst of the worst immediately cease all that they are doing. As a teacher, Lisa Neal makes an everlasting impression on all of her students.
I believe that the biggest impression she has ever made on me occurred during my 8th grade year. I began experimenting with things of which children in middle school should never experiment with. As the year progressed, the level of hope amongst my friends, family, and teachers only seemed to drop further and further down the scale. She alone seemed to be the only one still standing that had any hope left. Without this woman I honestly believe that I never would have turned my life back around to the extreme extent that I have. I know for certain that I never would have taken honors classes at the high school. Whatever the situation a student of hers may be in, she will appear by their side with an infinite amount of hope.
At our 8th grade graduation she sang Mariah Carey’s song “Hero”. It could not have been more appropriate. At the end of my 8th grade year she made me promise to email her twice a week until I graduate. Though at the time I thought her to be utterly insane, everyone knows better than to contradict her of all people. By the beginning of 9th grade the emails had already flourished from twice a week to twice a day. To this day her quiet expectations still produce motivation and her lines of non-judgmental communication still remain open 24-7-365. This means more to me and so many others than could ever be stated in a single essay.
Lisa Neal is by far one polychromatic woman. She is a talented thespian and a truly amazing teacher. You will never meet anyone as pliable, veracious, and considerate as her. She prefers to wear her heart on her sleeve and compassion flows from her like water from a creek in the spring. She is a complex woman of many trades but above all she is my hero.
Ashley Nichols
Everyone should have a hero. We all need someone in our lives that we can look up to and respect. I, myself, have one such hero. In fact, some might even go so far as to call her a superhero. Yes, I know that when we think of a superhero we find ourselves picturing the generic comic book idea of a person that wears funny pants, a cape, and can fly. Though to my knowledge she can not fly, she has been known to wear some pretty funny pants and I bet that if you asked her nicely she would even model a cape for you. My hero, that just happens to be super, is Lisa Neal.
Lisa Neal, from a distance appears to be an ordinary 7th grade teacher that is involved with many extra curricular activities within the district. She has a fairly large family and spends many of her summers on the stage at a local theater. Thus, she appears to be a fairly decent person. However, take the time to meet her and you will soon find that she is anything but an ordinary woman. She excels on every stage that she chooses to set foot on, whether it be at the local theater or in the classroom. I, personally, have seen her perform on both stages and do not believe that there is another person out there that could fulfill either role as well as she does.
Lisa Neal was my 7th grade social studies teacher. No one student could even begin to accurately describe the first impression that this woman will have on you. Perhaps, the most memorable moment in her classroom was when she showed up to school dressed as Ben Franklin. She acted out a small skit and wrapped the entire class into how dangerous it was for these men to be participating in the signing of The Declaration of Independence. Another wonderful trait that she possesses is the ability to have her class hanging on her every word. Up until that year if anyone had asked me “do you believe it to be possible for a teacher to have complete control over a classroom without yelling?” I would have responded with “nope it is not possible”. She makes it possible. Just one disappointed look from her and even the worst of the worst immediately cease all that they are doing. As a teacher, Lisa Neal makes an everlasting impression on all of her students.
I believe that the biggest impression she has ever made on me occurred during my 8th grade year. I began experimenting with things of which children in middle school should never experiment with. As the year progressed, the level of hope amongst my friends, family, and teachers only seemed to drop further and further down the scale. She alone seemed to be the only one still standing that had any hope left. Without this woman I honestly believe that I never would have turned my life back around to the extreme extent that I have. I know for certain that I never would have taken honors classes at the high school. Whatever the situation a student of hers may be in, she will appear by their side with an infinite amount of hope.
At our 8th grade graduation she sang Mariah Carey’s song “Hero”. It could not have been more appropriate. At the end of my 8th grade year she made me promise to email her twice a week until I graduate. Though at the time I thought her to be utterly insane, everyone knows better than to contradict her of all people. By the beginning of 9th grade the emails had already flourished from twice a week to twice a day. To this day her quiet expectations still produce motivation and her lines of non-judgmental communication still remain open 24-7-365. This means more to me and so many others than could ever be stated in a single essay.
Lisa Neal is by far one polychromatic woman. She is a talented thespian and a truly amazing teacher. You will never meet anyone as pliable, veracious, and considerate as her. She prefers to wear her heart on her sleeve and compassion flows from her like water from a creek in the spring. She is a complex woman of many trades but above all she is my hero.
Ashley Nichols
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