Millbrook’s Health and Physical Education (PE) teacher, Julee Dickens, is the definition of misunderstood. Dickens wishes to make a difference in the lives of future leaders in terms of wellness, as she stresses the importance of taking care of oneself. As such a selfless character, she truly deserves more recognition for her efforts to shape (literally) Millbrook students.

 Originally, Dickens planned to teach math, but she changed her mind and decided she would rather move around, being a former athlete. She then considered working with handicapped kids in private settings. However, since she was on a volleyball scholarship and Liberty University did not offer that field of study, she reconsidered.

 “I didn’t want to switch colleges because obviously I was going there for free, so since working with handicapped children involved, obviously, teaching, I then reconsidered about the teaching field.” Although the income may not be ideal to some, the good she imposes makes it worthwhile.

 Dickens has taught for a total of thirty-six years, eleven of those within North Carolina. She has dedicated most of her life to enhancing wellness of millennials within her reach.

 “I feel like I try to make a difference on what kids choices are going to be in the future. You don’t make good choices and you don’t lay the groundwork, you’re not going to become everything that you want to be in life… and I know that it’s hard to get a ninth grader to see that, so I keep trying. But that’s what I like about it, is that I feel like I’m in a position where I can influence,” she said.

 Her goal is helping students understand how decisions impact behavior in the future, and when asked what it was she disliked, she answered begrudgingly: “I have to call a parent, who loves and cares for a person, and tell them basically that your child doesn’t care, doesn’t try, speaks ugly—so that’s the part that bothers me the most.” Most do not understand the extent which Dickens embraces the self-improvement of teens. She expressed the discomfort of calling a parent and informing them that their child is inconsiderate about the faith put in them and for the feelings of others. She is able to sympathize for those parents, being one herself.

 Ignoring the cons, this job allowed her time to raise a family. “At that time, I was more inclined to do that [teaching] because it involved having a lot of extra time when you think about raising a family. You would have summers with your children and major holidays.” It is another reason she became an educator, likewise the opportunity to coach and teach the fundamentals of teamwork.

 Not only is her intent to inspire overlooked, but Dickens has been working behind the scenes for the county. She was approved for her National Boards certification in January of 2017, a program focused on working with teachers across the country in order to strengthen instruction and learning. “It’s taken a lot of extra work on my own. I write curriculum for the county that a lot of people don’t know about, so all the curriculum, everything you’re getting here, are things that I’ve been involved in writing.”

 Though proud of her achievements, she humbly stressed the importance of recognizing other faculty members and curriculum here at Millbrook. Dickens has continuously been impressed with the development of the health program compared to other schools.

 For such a compassionate person, Dickens is truly underappreciated. Many do not give enough credit to teachers for their impact on young people, who are the future.