It has been several weeks since we have returned from our trip to Mozambique, and yet it is all I talk about! From meeting with the former head-of-state to visiting the site that will serve as an HIV/AIDS clinic in the near future, we surely covered a lot of ground in a mere two weeks! Throughout the trip however, I continuously recalled my teachers from Mercy High School, and it is to them that I attribute a large portion of my success, knowledge, and leadership abilities today. It is usually in later years that we truly appreciate and realize the impact our educators have had on our lives. Teachers have a special gift that they love to share with others. And we sometimes take our teachers for granted, not appreciating the time and effort they dedicate to their profession. To all of my teachers, thank you, I really do appreciate you and for all that you have done! I acknowledge you for your perceptiveness, your understanding, and your skill to teach.
"Mercy High School is a Catholic college preparatory school for young women. The Mercy tradition began in 1945 when the Sisters of Mercy opened Our Lady of Mercy High School at Outer Drive and Southfield Roads in Detroit. In 1965, Mercy High School moved to a larger facility at the northeast corner of 11 Mile and Middlebelt Roads in Farmington Hills. Throughout its over 60 years as an exemplary high school, over 13,000 students have graduated from Mercy."
Here are some highlights from my visit to Mercy High School upon returning from Africa!
I must begin with Sister Marianne Bennett, who is responsible for teaching me the world (literally). We had weekly map quizzes each semester that included 15 countries that had to be spelled correctly for full marks. Since I had Sister Marianne as a teacher for a total of two years (four semesters) I learned my world all too well! She is the reason that I even knew where Mozambique was located.
Next, I visited Mr. Gerry Meloche, my biology and microbiology teacher, and an alumni of Wayne State. He is partly the reason why I continue to love biology, and am pursuing it as a College major. It is also in his classroom that I developed an in depth understanding of infectious disease and learned of the Center for Disease Control for the very first time! I knew that there was no one who would be more excited to hear that I had a chance to meet with CDC officials in Maputo, Mozambique and learn about the AIDS epidemic in the country!
Below are some of the posters that cover all four walls of Mr. Meloche's classroom.
No visit would be complete without visiting Madame Joyce Campbell, my French teacher for six consecutive semesters! I was so thankful for having a language under my belt, it most definately made learning Portuguese easier!
Mercy recently renovated the science hall and this year the school is celebrating women in science. What a perfect theme as I continue to pursue my dreams of becoming a well educated and respectable physician!
No comments:
Post a Comment