Great is a teacher’s influence on his pupils if they love him. -St. John Bosco

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Today, I’d like to introduce you to another bright light. Her name is Jackie Adams. Phenomenally adept as a teacher, and an even finer human being, Jackie is a 5th grade teacher at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic School in Fishers.

As my youngest son prepares to exit grade school and heads on to Guerin Catholic High School next fall, I find myself incredibly grateful for the gift that so many amazing educators have been for my three sons over the years. This particular gal is simply an amazing soul. People who take the time to notice what is special about ALL THE CHILDREN in their classroom are a rare breed. I have a mother who taught grade school for over three decades. I know from evenings filled with stories about school experiences that it’s easy to notice the squeaky wheels and it’s impossible to miss the truly brilliant. It’s so easy to overlook “the regular guy”. This teacher never does that. Jackie taught my “regular guy” youngest son math for 2 years, and it quickly became his favorite subject. Folks, math is hard. There’s lots of homework. This is no small feat!

With Jackie at the helm, the learning atmosphere has been described to me as “kind of serious, but also laid back.” My son said, “Ask anyone, Mom, because EVERYONE likes Mrs. Adams! She really knows how to teach hard stuff and make us understand.”

Jackie has a great smile and a very funny and sarcastic sense of humor that plays well to the middle school audience, as well as their parents. Yes, she’s creative in her use of fun games to keep the children engaged, and she’s truly gifted with her unique ability to teach new and difficult material. Children leave her classroom ahead of their peers in other nearby schools, because she’s experienced and talented, yes, but I think it’s more than that. You see, the students also know she truly cares about them.

Jackie does things like drive 40 minutes (one way) to see her students play in a CYO game, because she understands that her presence speaks to them loudly about how much they matter. She organized routine trips to the adoration chapel for the students in her class who wanted the opportunity for extra prayer time– an effort which required her to seek parent support. It would be so easy to just “skip it.” She instinctively knew the extra prayer time was incredibly valuable. She shares with her students about her love for them and for her own beautiful (and very blessed) daughter. In short, she is a compassionate, caring woman.

Her smile reaches her eyes and her words are spoken from her heart. This kind of light fills a room, and it inspires in her students a deep desire to work hard and succeed! If your child is lucky enough to spend the day in her care, they will inevitably experience the light of God’s love for them in the person of Mrs. Adams.

THANK YOU, JACKIE ADAMS, for being the light of Christ to SO MANY young people everyday. What you do everyday matters so very much. Your witness of love is a great inspiration to me personally and it reminds me that I should always make an effort to let God’s love shine through me too! The Thieme family LOVES YOU, Jackie, and we are grateful!

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16