Nominated by: Dhruv Rungta

Eyes lit up with excitement. Jaws dropped in sheer amazement. Beaming smiles all around. We listened intently as Ms. Tolba, my business teacher, shared another one of her compelling stories. On one occasion, she regaled us with a tale about how she brokered a 100 million dollar deal for the fortune 500 company she used to work at. The next day, it was a story about how she volunteered to teach orphans in India. Out of all of the things she could do during summer break, she chose to volunteer in a completely different country. Not only were these anecdotes captivating, but they were interwoven with business and life lessons. By bringing in real world experience about the corporate world, Ms. Tolba’s stories serve to teach us concepts that go beyond the textbook. For example, the story about how she brokered a 100 million dollar deal made me realize the importance of speaking up and putting yourself out there, especially in the business field. The story about Ms. Tolba volunteering highlighted the value of exploring different cultures and giving back to the community around me. Everyday in Ms. Tolba’s class is an adventure, from one of a kind projects to inspirational anecdotes to fiery debates. It’s easy to say that Ms. Tolba is not only the kindest, most genuine person I know, but also the best teacher in the world. She has truly impacted my life in a way that no one else ever has. She has inspired a love of learning and an excitement to experience new things. The overall structure and projects she creates are one of a kind, and all of us are so engaged. In one of her classes, International Business Honors, for instance, she evaluates students based on solving skills and project-oriented learning rather than simple, multiple-choice, written tests. I remember, one time, we were learning about team management in business, and how it can be challenging to work cooperatively as a team. Instead of just reading about different styles of management, we participated in an activity called “lost island.” The class was split into five groups. Each of us had to use our knowledge of diversification and rationing to survive. There were intense debates and arguments, but nothing could have taught us teamwork the way this activity did. I remember another one of her creations -- the economics telephone. The whole class was in a big circle and we played an engaging game to learn the value of clear communication and economics, and consequently, how easy it is to misinterpret messages. All of this experiential learning resulted in life lessons I will never forget. It taught me more about business than any book or traditional class ever could. Central to her classes is learning about different cultures, forming our own diverse perspectives and building bridges between opposing sides. One of my favorite projects was Ms. Tolba’s own invention--the Lays campaign. We had to conduct detailed and thorough research about another country’s customs and cultures. Then we had to create a Lays potato chips flavor, a PEST analysis, and a marketing campaign around it. Woven into this “graphic design” project was global relations, marketing, and culture. We also have insightful political and policy-making debates. During these lessons, acting as a moderator, Ms. Tolba sits in the corner and allows everyone to speak. Rather than taking a side she helps us realize how much we have in common and helps refine our perspectives. But the most important characteristic of being an amazing teacher is that she cares for us as individuals: she makes everyone feel valued and creates this safe space for everyone. She has this intuition for when something is wrong with a student, and really goes the extra mile to make the student feel better. When a student doesn't understand something, she does everything she possibly can to make them understand the concept they are having trouble with. She has always been there for us both emotionally and academically. There is one story, in particular, that demonstrates Ms. Tolba’s true character. A few years ago, there was a student who was facing financial difficulties and couldn’t afford a school event. Ms. Tolba decided to raise money for the student, and pitched in to pay the remaining costs. She is this warm, supportive, kind role model for us, when nobody else is. Yet through it all, she remains humble. An unsung hero, she does so much for her students and if anybody deserves recognition it's Ms. Tolba — the kindest, most awesome teacher and person. No words can describe how grateful and thankful I am to have a role model and teacher like her.