Victoria Stafford Online Editor For the first part of my freshman year, I was unable to recognize the mysterious “Mrs. Mecham” -- she was already on a first name basis with every student. Without a doubt, Mitzi is a breath of fresh air. Like many of her colleagues, Mitzi is genuinely dedicated to her teaching and clearly devoted to her students, taking the time to care for every single one. But what I admire most about Mitzi is her undeniable passion for theater and her ability to incite in her students an excitement to learn and delve into the fine arts. This year, I was fortunate to be recognized as Utah’s Sterling Scholar in the Theater, Drama and Forensics category; truly, had it not been for Mitzi’s guidance, I would have never dreamed to fall in love with the theater arts and achieve such an honor. Her dedication during these times is especially impressive; shortly after she had to visit the hospital due to a slip on icy stairs this winter, she was back to teaching and directing not one, but two plays for long hours after school. Mitzi is the backbone of Logan High theater. When Mitzi is involved in a production, you know it’s going to be incredible; it’s almost as if her direction comes from divine revelation. She seems to have a crystal clear image of exactly what she wants on the stage and has an eye for even the slightest of details. Her dedication during these times is especially impressive; shortly after she had to visit the hospital due to a slip on icy stairs this winter, she was back to teaching and directing not one, but two plays for long hours after school. There have been times that practice has gone past midnight, as Mitzi strives for perfection.
Aside from her own impeccable talent, Mitzi takes the time to help her students grow their own talents. While she clearly knows how to organize a production, she allows for us to take creative liberties and encourages to use our own personalities and natural emotions to contribute to new dimensions of our characters. She makes time for self-reflection, assigning students to write journal entries every few days on given topics (often thought-provoking quotes about life or theater) and allowing discussion amongst students about their responses afterwards. During competition season, Mitzi makes an effort to meet with every single competitor and see their piece, then offers her own wisdom to improve it. With Mitzi’s help, students are often able to achieve superior ratings on both regional and state levels. Mitzi embodies the qualities that every teacher should strive to achieve: an extensive knowledge of her field, a passion for her teaching, and a genuine devotion for her students.
1 Comment
Alex Lambert
7/1/2017 02:33:38 pm
AMEN!
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Teacher of the MonthSome food for thought: These people have to deal with rotten, smelly teenagers for nearly seven hours, five days a week. Now, that's commitment. That's why here, we've dedicated a space for students to recognize teachers and their dedication. They deserve it. Archives
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