By the time I reached 3rd grade, most of my classmates were enthusiastic readers. I wasn't. I was beginning to dread school, but my teacher, Ms. Crenshaw, took the pressure off and seemed to understand what I needed. She game me a sack full of comic books to take home - Archie, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Dennis the Menace -- and soon I was reading books and looking forward to school.
Ms. Crenshaw also supported my family during a challenging time when my older sister was suffering from a mysterious illness. She even offered to let me live at her house while my parents were getting help for Gail. Like many extraordinary teachers I had along the way, I never got a chance to express my gratitude to her. Thank you, Ms. Crenshaw.
