I’ve been attending St. Philips for nine years and the teachers here are very different from teachers at other schools. When I say this, I mean it in a positive way. St. Philip teachers stand out in the sense that they genuinely care about students. My teachers have helped me grow and thrive in things I hope to pursue in life. For example, I enjoy writing and reading so when I was in 5th grade my teacher, Mrs. Simone, noticed how much of a bookworm I was and got me a good gig, I got to write an article for the school newspaper. You can join Falcon’s Flyer when you’re in 7th and 8th grade. So when I had the opportunity to write an article in the 5th grade, that was extremely rare. So I wrote a book review on ‘The Land of Stories’ which obviously made a difference to me because four years later I still remember which book I wrote my first article on. Another thing that stood out to me is how my drama club director, Ms. Natalie, has created a safe environment where actors and actresses, like myself, can be themselves. I joined Drama Club in the 5th grade and have done every production I had the opportunity to participate in. As one of the eldest members now, when I attend Drama Club rehearsals, I don’t think of it really as a rehearsal. It’s more of a time where I get to do something I love to do with people who I have a sibling-like relationship with. There are kids in Drama Club who are like my little brothers and sisters. Drama Club kids are just really close and we’re a tight group, we talk to each other about everything and we give each other nicknames. I cannot thank Ms. Natalie enough for giving me and many other kids the chance to have Drama Club because not too long ago, the Drama Club wasn’t around. These are only a couple ways St. Philips teachers have made a difference to me and other students. St. Philip’s teachers are always around to help students by listening to their problems and giving advice. Again, St. Philip’s teachers just genuinely care about their students’ interests and that’s something I’m grateful for because I would never have arrived at 8th grade as the person I am today without them.