Sophia Cunningham (Golf, Bryant University) grew up in Tolland. HelloNation asks student athletes one question about the place that raised them and records the answer on camera. This is Sophia Cunningham’s, in full.
The question
Tell us about a teacher or mentor from high school who challenged you the most or inspired you in a way that still shapes who you are today. Who are they, and what lesson from them do you carry into your life now?
The answer, as recorded
Transcript. What follows is a transcript of the video above, in Sophia Cunningham’s own words. It has not been rewritten, and no part of it was drafted for them.
A teacher from high school that challenged me or inspired me in a way that I still have learned from was my sophomore year English teacher, and then my senior year journalism teacher, Mrs. Courtney Petrowicz. She is the best teacher at Talland High School alongside Mrs. Lynn Bridge. She always prided herself on the fact that she was a fair grader, which I think is very helpful, especially when you go into high school and you think you know everything, especially after freshman year. And then you're just hit with a teacher who is really tough with her grading and treats you like a college student, even though you're still not even upperclassmen in high school yet. Mrs. Petrowicz taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. I actually got a 16 out of my first ever test with her, and I consider myself to be a fairly good reader and writer, and so I was baffled by this. But because of her, my work grew stronger and I was able to end up becoming a really good writer that actually helped me in college. I carry these lessons into the rest of my life, especially since I'm a politics and law major at Bright University. I am always needing to read and write, and I really carry her lessons along with me. Mrs. Petrowicz always, again, as I stated, was very fair, and everyone got the same treatment, and she always pushed you to be a better version of yourself. With this, I have learned a lesson of even though you may like where you're at, you have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Getting uncomfortable with the uncomfortable is the only way that good change will ever come into your life. Thank you.
Recorded by HelloNation as part of its athlete voices program and published by Hello Newswire, HelloNation’s good news newswire. The words are the speaker’s own.
Reported by Hello Newswire.