By Paige Tucker

Summer 2021 was full of fun and sun and tooth fairy visits! Now, my snaggle tooth girl is off to second grade. When I think back on my second-grade year, I get all the warm fuzzies! It was pure magic. 

To this day, when asked about my favorite teacher of all time, the answer is always my second-grade teacher. Mrs. Melcher made every day fun. She taught with catchy rhymes, songs and games. Even math had a fun twist.

A different student was featured each morning in the short word problem that Mrs. Melcher wrote on the chalkboard. I remember the anticipation of walking into the classroom looking for the daily math problem and the delight in finding the one all about Paige.

Mrs. Melcher taught us many things about her Jewish faith. She shared her Hanukkah traditions with us and was just as excited about Christmas. She gave us dreidels, and we played games and sang songs associated with the holiday. We had a Hanukkah celebration, along with a party for just about every other special day on the calendar.

While out of school with a terrible case of chickenpox, I was so sad to miss a pizza party our class had earned. (How’s that for aging me?!) She sent a pizza to our house to soften the blow and include me in the treat from afar!

You can only pray your children are blessed with educators who leave lasting imprints on their hearts. So many years later, I still remember what Mrs. Melcher taught me and, more importantly, how she made me feel. She nurtured my love of learning and treated me like one of her own. I’d venture to say the hundreds of students lucky enough to be in her class likely share my sentiments.

Julia Reynolds has only been in school a few short years and already several of her teachers have earned a forever place in our hearts. I can’t wait to meet the others along the way who will have that same distinction. Wishing all of our local teachers a wonderful school year that is one to remember for the students in your care!

After twelve years in local news, most recently as evening anchor of NBC 26, Paige Tucker is now a work-at-home mom and freelance journalist. She produces two series for NBC 26 TV, First Responders and 26 Women Today, and you can see those stories on Tuesday nights. Paige and her husband have one daughter, Julia Reynolds, who is seven years old.

Photo courtesy of Paige Tucker