Nominated by: Keslynne Mattison

Melissa Craig, my Anatomy & Physiology teacher, is one in a million! She is the epitome of an excellent teacher! She builds connections with her students and encourages their personal and academic growth. I am involved in many extracurricular activities through leadership, music, and sports. Because of these extra responsibilities, I frequently am absent from school. In a honors class that should be quite challenging, I am maintaining an A-average because of her dedication to detail in note-taking and communication. Mrs. Craig will message me back almost instantaneously with questions about assignments or tests and quizzes. She even records herself teaching lessons so we can go back and listen to it again - or listen for the first time if we are absent! Her notetaking guides are the absolute best! Most are in her handwriting, which is familiar to us as her students, and she gives us opportunities to color code models, label, and gives us the "teenage" language for body functions. She lets us know her as a person too, which in my opinion, is what makes a teacher "real." We absolutely love her stories of situations as a former ER nurse, her experience with treatments of diseases and illnesses, and how the body functions! I especially love that I even know what her young daughter wore for her family Christmas card photo! What a connections she has made with me and so many other teachers. Many of my friends that are seniors choose Mrs. Craig as their "favorite teacher" for their sports' senior night. I understand why! From Kindergarten to twelfth grade, she is definitely a stand-out! She is for me, and obviously for so many others. Mrs. Craig, you are HONORED. You are loved, appreciated, and a welcome educator in my life. Thank you for your encouragement and inspiration in my future career in pharmacy. I have absolutely enjoyed every day in your classroom this semester and have learned a wealth of knowledge that has only opened doors to curiosity and future exploration in medicine. Hats off to a #1 teacher, Melissa Craig! This semester has been the best because of YOU!