Nominated by: Boureima Traore

Mr. T is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. He makes school feel like a place where you can actually learn something that matters. He doesn’t just teach us from a book. He teaches us how to live, how to speak up for ourselves, and how to believe that we can do big things. In his class, we have the Ice Cream Lab where we make ice cream, learn how to sell it, and work together like a real business. Twice a week we even go to Ample Hills Creamery, and I get to see what it’s like to work in a real shop. It’s fun, but it also makes me feel like I can have a job one day and be good at it. Mr. T also started something called the Cream Dream Bike Tour. He rides his bike all over Brooklyn to places like Island Pops, Mikey Likes It Ice Cream, Morgenstern’s, and Ample Hills to raise money for students with special needs so they can get bikes. That means a lot to me because it shows how much he cares about everyone, not just his class. He always tells us to keep pushing for our goals. He challenges me to be better every day and pushes all of us to get our GEDs, our driver’s licenses, and to be more independent. He’s the kind of teacher who makes you feel proud of yourself and helps you see that your life can go somewhere good. Mr. T cares about his students like family. He checks in when we’re down and celebrates when we do something great. Because of him, I actually look forward to coming to school. He made me believe in myself again.