Inspiring Teacher Nomination Draft

I'll never forget my first Young Performer's Workshop (YPW).

I was 13, nerdy, and somewhat shy and unsure of myself- the perfect example of a kid that can be made or broken by role models or the lack thereof.

There were eight of us in the class and all of us were female, a rather daunting prospect for even the most seasoned theatre teachers; Thomasin Savaiano, the creator and organizer of the YPW program, nevertheless stepped right up and took charge without so much as batting an eye. "I don't want to see anyone comparing themselves to the other students in this class- just focus on doing the best that you can and on being a team player. Everyone is starting on their own, individual level and my job is to help you improve so that you're a couple levels above that starting point by the time this class is over."

Throughout the class we were expected to have a professional work ethic, to be fully prepared for rehearsal, to meet assigned deadlines, to take responsibility for our actions, and to flat out try our best. If we put out more effort, we were rewarded with praise and more responsibility; this system kept us on our toes as well as strongly reinforcing the life lessons of the class.

YPW was a fantastic, eye-opening experience, and truly helped to get me, and many other teens, on the right track. I was given goals and
responsibilities and was expected to rise up to meet them; this instilled strong self-confidence, drive, discipline, and sense of responsibility, all of which I continue to use in my day to day life as a Physical Therapy student.

As previously mentioned, Thomasin designed and organizes YPW, and her personality truly shines through in it.

Indeed, one of the most important things I've gained from working with Thomasin is a mentor and role model; to this day when I am in a difficult situation with a patient, I often find myself asking "What would Thomasin do?".

As I look back at all the lessons learned from and time spend with her, I'm starting to realize what's really happened over the past 10 years: I got great life lessons and experience, but Thomasin got me.