I thank you wholeheartedly.

Mrs. Zacher, the studio in art, sculpture and ceramics, advanced drawing and painting, and photography teacher here at Alden High School, has been my biggest support throughout my high school career. I was a student of Mrs. Zacher’s, my freshman year, in her studio in art class. I continued to her Photography class the next year and I found photography to be a bigger interest of mine and not just a credit. I began to rely on her for advice regarding my photographs and how to make them the absolute best they could be. With a few of my classmates, I found myself staying after until 5:30 or 6 o’clock to perfect my photos. Mrs. Zacher, later that year, introduced me to the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA). A few other kids said yes so I decided to apply and together we all put together our portfolios. In March of 2010 we took a trip to University of Buffalo for the adjudication process. A few months later I found out that I got accepted and I would leave in a month. A few others from Alden got accepted but I was the only one who decided to go. I stayed at SUNY Oswego University for the entire month of July. I studied Digital Photography with college professors and furthered my knowledge on what Mrs. Zacher taught me. When I got back, I shared my newly acquired knowledge with her and she planned to use them in her Digital Photography class. Now, in my senior year, I am her assistant teacher in the Chemical and Digital Photography class. I use the knowledge she taught me and what I gained at NYSSSA to help the students that will, hopefully, follow in my footsteps. Now, I have applied to Texas Christian University for photojournalism. Mrs. Zacher is not only a teacher that I will remember for the rest of my life, but she is a person I will forever thank wholeheartedly.