Diana Shinn – Centerville Junior High School

Mrs. Shinn was the BEST teacher that I ever had and made the biggest impact on my life. She was my teacher in both 7th and 9th grade and she – alone – was someone who made me realize that my life is worth living. She doesn’t just teach. She reaches out and changes lives.

I was dealing with tragedy when I was in her class and she knew something was wrong. She always made time to talk to me between classes and ask how I was doing. As I became more and more depressed, she became more and more involved in helping me through this struggle. I was ready to give up on live and throw in the towel. It was Mrs. Shinn who put things into a whole new perspective for me.
She said that she couldn’t live her life without me in it and that her world would fall apart if I died. I knew she wasn’t just saying it to help me feel better, but that she truly meant it.

She made English fun and has inspired me to teach myself. I’m not in school anymore, but my younger siblings have also had her, and have had no ill things to say about her. She is AMAZING and she knows how to make you feel accepted in a world where you feel so alone. (Don’t worry though, I’m totally fine now.) Diana Shinn is not just one of my previous teachers, but is a life-long friend of mine. I still see her and I think of her always. She deserves the Teacher Feature because she is not just a teacher, but she is a friend to all of her students and helps countless students discover what their life is really worth, and how to achieve all they can.

–Kimberly Bradfield