Mr. Mike Salapka
Deer Park Middle School
Nominating Student: Rusanne S. Hill
"My name is Rusanne Hill, and I would like to nominate my fourth grade teacher for the teacher of the month award that is offered through Eastern Washington University. I am now in the 12th grade at Shadle Park High School and the nomination letter enclosed is the same essay I used on my college application at the University of Washington. I can still look back and realize why Mr. Skalapka was my favorite teacher, as well as the best teacher I have ever had. He is currently a sixth grade teacher at Deer Park Middle School."
The following is an excerpt from Rusanne's essay:
"I believe that my fourth grade teacher was the best thing that ever happened to me as far as my education is concerned. Mr. Salapka had a very original way of making learning truly pleasurable. There are always the everyday connotations of fun learning, but Mr. Salapka's was different. Not only was he my teacher, but he became my friend. He made me believe that I could become anything I dreamed of, whether that would be the first woman president if the United States, or an anesthesiologist, which has been my dream for so long. He instilled a sense that learning and knowledge could take me anywhere I wanted to go."
