I recently read that Mrs. Rena Roush from Kelseyville Unified was named teacher of the year for Lake County 2022.

I am writing this letter to commend that choice and offer additional praise for her.

My son was a student in good standing at Kelseyville High School in 2020 when the pandemic closures began.

He had a difficult time navigating the murky waters of the COVID shutdown situation with the teachers and the administration at Kelseyville High School so much so that he was considering dropping out of high school completely. In fact, we pleaded with the school board to help us to no avail.

Luckily, we found Mrs. Roush at the Kelseyville Learning Academy and she was instrumental in helping my son complete the high school education that he deserved.

He enrolled as a dual enrollment student at Mendocino College and earned double credit toward high school and completed online courses that were equivalent to what he could have done in person. He graduated six months early and is poised to attend the college of his choice.

She taught with compassion and a keen perception of students' learning needs.

I commend the Lake County Office of Education for choosing Mrs. Roush as the teacher of the year because not only was she a beacon in the fog for our son, she renewed our trust in public education.

We are so thankful for her efforts in assisting our son to achieve a high school diploma and for her efforts in helping him learn that challenges can be overcome with perseverance and a positive attitude.

Thank you, Mrs. Roush, this is a well-deserved award. You will be a part of our family story forever. You have made a difference in our lives.

Pilar White lives in Kelseyville, California.