At Swain West Elementary School, a grateful grandmother credits first grade teacher Lydia Sale for bringing her grandson out of his shell and turning him into a social butterfly.
During a recent lesson, the class broke down words into syllables, an exercise to help them read better. In the middle of the group is an attentive boy named Kevin.
"I like doing math and reading," says Kevin, when asked what he likes most about school. It's a huge change for Kevin's grandmother, Christine Summey.
"He didn’t want to have nobody near him, you know," recalls Summey. "His reading level was very low. His math was not that great."
Summey says Ms. Sale and the staff at Swain West have made a huge impact on Kevin, both academically and socially, so, she nominated Sale for 'Thanks to Teachers.'
"Once he came into this school, and Ms. Sale’s class, he just soared," says Summey.
Lydia Sale is only four years into her teaching career, but, her desire to teach goes back a few years.
"When I was four years old, in pre-k, they did an interview with me about what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I said I wanted to be a teacher. So, I’ve known my whole life," says Sale, who grew up in Swain County.
Sale, who began her career when the pandemic started, says this is her first 'normal' year of teaching. She knew Kevin needed a little extra help socializing. After working with him, the first grader can now work a room.
"He was off in all these different little groups seeing, did he want to play with these kids that were playing with Legos? Did he want to draw? Did he want to read a book? He was able to have conversation and play with any kid in any situation in the classroom."
"I like everyone in school, and everyone in the city," declares the first grader. Kevin says he is "so happy" when he wakes up each morning knowing he's going to school.
"We’re very, very appreciative," says Christine Summey of Lydia Sale.