The following article was written by Marcela Menendez, EAST student at Don Tyson School of Innovation.

Out of respect for Mrs. Sides being on her maternity leave, I decided it would be best if I dedicated this spotlight to her impact she has had on her students, along with how she has inspired us.

When it comes down to thinking about which teachers have inspired me the most, I think about Mrs. Sides. Mrs. Sides is the EAST Facilitator at the Don Tyson School of Innovation. She is someone I personally look up to. I personally admire her for her ability to guide others. I’ve seen her help so many of my peers find purpose in our EAST program. She has also helped me grow as a person. We often have open discussions that have a range of topics, and I really appreciate those conversations. They give me the opportunity to open up and look at things from different perspectives. 

She is always bringing new ideas to the table and is always looking to see what we can do with them. She values effort and innovation. She constantly checks in with every student to make sure that she is doing everything she can for her students. 

Mrs. Sides has inspired me to constantly strive for the best, and she has taught me that my best can look different everyday. She has shown me that failure is part of progress and it’s okay when it happens. Failure has always been terrifying to me, but she showed me that it’s okay. I don’t need to succeed in everything I attempt. That it’s the effort that counts.