Harbor Heights student recognized in statewide contest

Ashley Coats

of the Gateway

Pizza and soda replaced math and science in one of the classrooms at Harbor Heights Elementary School last Friday.

Fourth-grader Taya Luchini won a Washington Education Association student essay contest. One of the prizes for winning was a pizza party for her entire class.

The contest was titled “A Teacher to Remember,” and the teacher Luchini choose to commemorate in her essay was her third-grade instructor, Allison Shepard.

“Taya had a shy first and second grade, and Mrs. Shepard made her blossom,” said Taya’s mother, Nicole Luchini. “The kids respected (Shepard) so much.”

Shepard is now an assistant principal at Boze Elementary in Tacoma, but she returned to Harbor Heights for the pizza party last week.

“It was so wonderful to see my old students,” Shepard said. “I felt lucky to get the time to visit.”

The WEA student essay contest was assigned to every student in Taya’s class as a homework assignment. The students were told to write about their favorite teacher, and Luchini said she knew right away she would write about Shepard.

“I wanted to do it before it was assigned,” Taya said. “I wanted a chance to write about Mrs. Shepard.”

Taya wrote her essay over a weekend and received no help from her parents or teachers. Taya has a passion for writing and does a lot of writing for homework.

Taya’s essay was one of three chosen from more than 1,200 others entered in the contest. Taya’s was the only one that won from her grade level.

Nicole Luchini found out about Taya’s success in the contest before Taya was sent the official congratulatory letter.

“(WEA) called me on the phone and made me keep a secret,” Nicole Luchini said. “I gave (the letter) to Taya when she got off the bus, and she just started screaming.”

Besides winning a pizza party, Taya was also awarded a $150 gift certificate to Amazon.com, which she plans to use on an iPod.

Taya also was excited about the pizza party she won for her class, because, along with pizza, Taya was able to visit with Shepard.

“I’ll always remember my kids, and I just hope that they remember me,” Shepard said. “I’m just so excited for (Taya).”

Taya described Shepard as “very kind-hearted, comforting and generous.”

One of Taya’s fondest memories of Shepard was the comfortable atmosphere that was created in her classroom. Taya described the room as “a room especially made for third-graders.” There were beanbag chairs, stools and a “book nook.”

“When you walked into class, it was just like home,” Taya said. “She is the best teacher ever, and I’ll always remember her for that.”

What Luchini says about Mrs. Shepard

“She was always down to earth, and she was always fair. She treated everyone with the same amount of kindness and respect.”

“She also loved the environment and never wasted paper.”

“She would always decorate the room and make it fun. She made everyone feel welcome and part of the class.”

“One of the things that makes her my nicest and favorite teacher is that she keeps you going if you fail and helps you until you get the right answer.”

“Another reason she is a really spectacular teacher is that she is nice, more than nice. But supercallafradgelisticexpialidocious!”

Source: Taya Luchini’s essay, “A Teacher to Remember.”

Reach intern Ashley Coats at 253-853-9224 or by e-mail at ashley.coats@gateline.com.