Holly Bowman, Instructional Support para at Maize Middle School, keeps her passion and excitement for her job by learning new skills that help students succeed. She believes that when you take time to listen and become their friend, it helps them stay excited and engaged to learn new concepts and have fun.

“Each day, our students get a chance for a fresh start to feel loved and not judged from the day before,” she said. “I love getting to know them, hear about their lives, and watch their success when their hard work pays off.”