Mrs. Whitlock was my 5th grade teacher in the late 80's and I loved her. She was very strict and demanded excellence from her students, which was intimidating at times, but I rose to the occasion and her methods made it one of the best years of my schooling. She had a reward for students who went the extra mile that at the end of the school year we would go to a party at her house. I was one of the few students chosen for this honor and I was scared at first because I couldn't imagine my strict teacher being any fun at a party. Well, I was wrong. She was like a sweet grandma when we arrived, dishing out extra ice cream and telling us jokes. It was fun to see that different side of her. It was a special school year for me and set the stage for future academic success.