Kyra Benson, Maple Mountain High School

“Mrs. Benson teaches special needs students. She creates a positive, happy, supportive environment where each student feels valued. She sees each students’ abilities and helps them become as independent as possible and reach “their” full potential. She helps them set goals and then does everything she can to help each student reach those goals. Along the way, Mrs. Benson cheers them on and celebrates their successes, big or small. She has established an amazing peer tutor program in which she encourages the peer tutors to build friendships with the special needs students both inside and outside of the special needs classroom. As a result of Mrs. Benson’s peer tutor program, my daughter has had peer tutors invite her to eat lunch with them, say hi to her in the halls, text her, invite her to parties, take her to Prom and other school activities, and just come over to our house and hang out with her. Some of the peer tutors have become my daughter’s best friends, all because of Mrs. Benson. I will forever be grateful to Mrs. Benson for all that she has done for my daughter. She has truly been a second “mom” to her and made it possible for my daughter to have an amazing high school experience.”

Submitted by: Heidi Jackman

Submit your teaching hero! Click here to submit your teacher