Thinking back to my first day of kindergarten, I remember not liking reading one bit! Not much changed as I graduated to the next grade and the next - never engaged with school, probably because I struggled with reading.
Every school year, I was assigned to receive extra support and put into a special reading class.I remember thinking to myself, “Am I ever going to enjoy reading?” This all changed the year I entered into seventh grade, and was finally at middle school and met Mrs. Bentliff for the first time.  She was my reading teacher and she changed my whole perspective on reading.

When I first entered into her classroom the environment feels like I belong there and have a purpose in that class. In each class, there were about 10 to 15 students, and she paid attention to each and every one of us as if it were a one on one class.

Mrs. Bentliff has an energy that no one else can live up to. Her personality and attitude could light up a dark room. She was like a night light that lit up even the darkest cave.

But, she wasn’t just my reading teacher. She was more than that. If I struggled in another class she would work with me one on one and make sure that I got everything handed in, and making sure I was staying on the right track. To have anything lower than like a C wasn’t acceptable, and she would make sure that I got that grade up right away.