I grew up in North Carolina, and recently moved to Indiana for my dad's work. I was terrified. I grew up in the land of tobacco and 70 degree christmases, and all of a sudden, we were driving over 600 miles to a state made up entirely of corn. My first friend was my art teacher, Mrs. Calabrese. The second I stepped into that classroom on my first day, I thought, "Indiana might be alright." Mrs. Calabrese saw me for who I was. I'd never felt so special. She cherished my artworks and gave me tips on how to improve. Before coming to Indiana, I'd always gone to schools with fewer than 600 students. I'd only ever had one art teacher, and she wasn't very nice, so I wasn't expecting one here, let alone a good one. Mrs. Calabrese taught me so much about art, myself, the school, and the Midwest. She welcomed me into Artistically Talented (AT) with open arms and a smile on her face. Even though I don't have her this semester, she remains one of my best friends. Some might think it to be embarrassing to be friends with your teacher, but I'm proud to call Mrs. Calabrese my friend, and I will forever brag about the fact that I get to be friends with her in all of her awesomeness. Mrs. Calabrese does so much, not only for me, but for her students. She uses her own money to make sure her students can use the best art supplies and maximize their potential. Mrs. Calabrese will forever hold a special place in my heart, and hopefully, the school's heart. Mrs. Calabrese deserves the world. Mrs. Calabrese, if you're somehow able to read this, thank you for everything. You're the best teacher I've ever had, and I look up to you. I will someday grow up and tell my children how awesome you were. You're awesome. -Evie Knack, 7th grade