My first class of the day during the Summer I term in 2010 was developmental reading. We began early in the morning and our instructor was Monique Mannering.

Mannering had a great attitude, was kind, inspiring and very patient, yet she was firm and did not let us get away with excuses or laziness, as all her students know.

What I understand now is that Mannering’s style of teaching set the tone and spirit for the rest of my day, and later, for the rest of my degree, by giving me the confidence I needed.

After all, I was a 50-year-old man in a developmental reading class. I was definitely not sure of myself or what the future held for me as I saw all the young, fresh-from-high-school faces around me.

I’m writing this now because I am close to completing my associate degree at Brookhaven College, and I feel that Mannering deserves recognition from all her students.

Thank you, Monique Mannering, my teacher, for giving all your students the motivation and the desire to learn and the strength to carry on the tone and spirit you set for us in class. Again, thank you, from all of your inspired students.

– Ron Pelky