I believe that in this life God allows us to meet people who will change us forever. In 2013, I met the teacher who would change my life and would change how I see the world. Before Mrs. Leslie White’s high school English class, I had no idea what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. Through the love for English she radiated, I decided to pursue English as my major in college.

Mrs. White has not only been a teacher but a mentor, a role model, a woman of God, and a hero. Without her love and guidance, I could not have achieved many of the things that I have been blessed enough to achieve. She taught me that with hard work, faith, and a sense of humor, anything you put your mind to can be accomplished.

Nothing I can say or do would ever repay her, or the other teachers of Piedmont Academy, for how they have helped me grow from the day I set foot on campus in kindergarten. Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate being named Piedmont Academy’s STAR Student. I am thankful for this opportunity and thankful to share this honor with Ms. Leslie White.

According to Mrs. Leslie N. White, “Morgan Leach is a fantastic student for any teacher to have within the classroom – respectful, focused, and inquisitive. She is the epitome of the model for going after what she wants and putting forth the effort required to get there.” Morgan consistently delves deeper on her own volition in her research, writing, and projects.

When earning the runner up award for Highest Honors English during her sophomore and junior years, she made time to meet with me to discuss where she could make improvements in preparation for dual-enrollment English her senior year. While some students might have made it a situation for whining, Morgan truly desired making herself better and learning from her weaknesses and mistakes.

After all the hard work and long hours in studying, reading, writing, researching, and presenting in the two years of Honors English (10th and 11th), Mrs. White says, “Well done, my dear! I, along with many others, look forward to noting your accomplishments in the years to come.”

For Mrs. White, this STAR nomination puts the “icing on the cake” of a 39-year career spent in the Language Arts classroom, both public and private.