NYC and Important Teachers

Today I walked from the B home, where I am staying, across town to a doctor's appointment and then all the way down to the Lower East side, stopping at every interesting shop along the way. Boy are my legs tired! But it was great. This city still has so much for me to explore. I lived here for only one semester, so there are always new secrets each time I visit.

On a totally unrelated note, a very important teacher/figure/role model in my life has passed away. He may have been the first teacher to really "get" me, he certainly singled me out for my enthusiasm and he never failed to communicate in a way that spoke directly to me. Yes, he was guilty of making other students cry, but for me he had a straight arrow approach that worked. Mr. Hart, my constitution team coach, passed away. His influence on my life was enormous. Even for my Dorot application, I wrote about him when I mentioned Important People in My Life. Excerpted below:

Describe an individual who has had a significant impact upon you. Mr. Hart served as my coach for a competitive academic high school team called the “We The People” in which students testified before a panel of judges on topics relating to constitutional law. Mr. Hart preferred not to teach technicalities; rather he sought to ignite passion for legal understanding. To that end, he encouraged me to channel my energy into confidence and critical thinking. From him I learned to stand up straight, roll my shoulders back, rest my arms at my sides with my thumbs along my outer pant seams, and give my opinion in an unwavering voice.

May your memory be for a blessing. I will never forget you.