Page 256 - 國立竹科實中創校40週年紀念特刊

ᕐႧ௅ and our school bell that is long enough for Chen, and being moved to tears by Sophia

students to quickly grab their books from their Zuo's poetry are moments that I live for. The
lockers and make it back to their seat on time last few years have been tough for everyone
現 教 任 師 for class to begin. They say that forty years because of the pandemic, but I was pleasantly
old is when a woman begins to show her age, surprised to see my inbox fill up with long

but for NEHS, it seems that with each year we letters from Josephine Shih, who said she
get stronger and younger. thought about my tenth grade English class
Younger is a theme that is closely when she was reading The Barbizan: The
associated with our school because at NEHS, Hotel that Set Women Free while studying

the teachers never age. Perhaps there is in Boston and from Mark Kuo who wrote
something special about the water that they that while he was watching All Quiet on the
drink from our school's water fountain Western Front, listening to Wilford Owen's
because every teacher that taught me when I poem reminded him of our poetry discussions

was a student looks exactly the same as my during AP English Literature class. Recently,
colleague. As a student who was somewhat during winter break, I was pleasantly surprised
shy and afraid to talk to teachers, I am grateful to hear from Shannon Lin, who was a ninth
to call my teachers my friends and my lifelong grader in my class the first year that I taught

mentors. Whether it is reminiscing about at NEHS. Over coffee she shared with me
the good old days with Ms. Christine Huang, her experience studying at law school and
sharing teaching stories with Ms. Christine becoming a lawyer at a firm that supports
Yin, working on our school's action plan with underprivileged people. It felt like, as Emile

Mr. Ray Chin, or seeing Mr. Tony Fwu smile predicted, a massage not only to my heart, but
in the elevator on my way to teach a class, to my soul, my inner being, invigorating me
each interaction brightens my day and inspires each day.
me to work harder. The prophecy came true, but in more

However, the biggest motivator for me ways than I could have possibly imagined.
to stay up late at night grading and planning As I continued to walk down the road,
the next day's lessons are my students I noticed how tall the trees had grown
because they inspire me every day. The over the years, stretching far beyond my

students at our school work so incredibly childhood imagination. I was reminded of
hard, whether it is their meticulously written a conversation I once had with a Japanese
homework assignments or projects that teacher who taught at a Catholic high school
are so intricate and creative, they never during an educational conference. "It is like

cease to amaze me with their creativity and the parable of the mustard seed that grew
dedication. Furthermore, the relationships I from the smallest seed into the largest tree.
have built with them are my bread and butter. When you teach, you plant seeds that you
Brainstorming with Rachel Hsieh about her can't even see." I am confident that our school

TEDxYouth event, chatting with Abigail will continue to plant seeds that will grow far
254 Lin about her dreams for attending medical beyond our dreams.
school, learning about mechanics from Eason