CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 13 Claire Mullen can be reached at clairejlmullen@ gmail.com. My last elementary school report card was written by Mrs. Julie Wendell. I remember that aer many consecutive years of being slapped with "Needs Improvement" or downright "Unsatisfactory" penmanship grades, and hours of my grandmother making me sit at her kitchen table to copy my homework assignments until they were somewhat legible, Mrs. Wendell was the first teacher to laugh off my parents' concerns. She said, "Don't worry! By the time Claire is old enough for it to matter, she'll be typing everything anyway!" And do you know what? With every stroke of this keyboard, I'm proving wise Mrs. Wendell right. e next seven years brought more unforgettable teachers. Lulie Harry, esteemed history teacher and mentor to decades of Fayetteville Academy students, who stopped class on the aernoon of Sept. 11, 2001, to allow her students to gather together to hold an American flag and say whatever we felt, or nothing at all. Connie Koonce, who showed me that I could almost like math in a way that no other teacher before her had been able to do. Ellen Brooks, who taught me how to write a proper research paper, but also stressed the importance of creative expression. And Dr. Timothy Marr, a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, who, on the last day of class, asked me what I planned to do aer college. While I cannot recall my answer, I do remember that Dr. Marr replied with, "Well, whatever you do, you really ought to pursue something with your writing." I never forgot his words of encouragement, and 13 years later, here I am, doing just that. I owe a debt of gratitude to each teacher who touched my life, fostered my love of learning and simply just loved me. For the teachers of today's children, I hope you remember that your worth is not measured by the standardized test scores of your pupils and certainly not by your salaries. While your students may grow up and forget the quadratic formula, how to structure a bibliography or that Hg is the chemical symbol for mercury, what WILL stay with them are the extra hugs on a hard day, your special voices for storybook characters and the out-of-your-way reminders to always believe in their dreams. 910.868.5131 | 3200 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, NC 28303 | www.fayacademy.org Fayetteville Academy Fayetteville Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation in administration of its educational policies, admissions, financial aid, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Accepting applications for the 2021-22 school year. Visit www.fayacademy.org for more information. • Pre-K through grade 12 STEAM SmartLabs ® • Chromebook 1:1 program • Grades 4-7 LEGO ® Robotics Team • 89 percent of AP exams taken resulted in a score of 3 or higher. • More than $500,000 in need-based financial aid awarded annually to qualified applicants. • The 23 members of the Class of 2021 were offered more than $1.3 million in college scholarships and grants. RANKED #1 IN THE NICHE.COM 2021 BEST PRIVATE K-12 SCHOOLS IN THE FAYETTEVILLE AREA State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company State Farm Indemnity Company State Farm Fire and Casualty Company State Farm General Insurance Company Bloomington, IL State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas State Farm Lloyds Richardson, TX State Farm Florida Insurance Company Winter Haven, FL 2001872 Get surprisingly great Auto & Renters rates. Here's the deal, our Auto and Renters rates are already great. But when you combine with State Farm ® , you can save even more. Call me to discover your surprisingly great rates on Auto and Renters today. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. ® Individual premiums will vary by customer. All applicants subject to State Farm underwriting requirements. Lynn Kelly, Agent 5606 Rockfish Road Hope Mills, NC 28348 Bus: 910-423-6303 lynn.kelly.gdzi@statefarm.com

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