Hunter Elementary School

Betty Couch

Ms. Betty Couch is currently a teacher at Lucille Hunter Elementary in Raleigh, NC. I am ecstatic to honor Ms. Couch during Teacher Appreciation week and I hope that I can execute the words just so to help WRAL TV see what I've known from the day that I first met her.

I'd like to honor Ms. Couch for her relentless love of helping children to succeed. Her life's mission seems to be to make sure that "no child is left behind." I truly believe that it is because of her that this motto adopted by our state has any merit.

Unbeknownst to Ms. Couch my personal experience with her began long before my daughter became a student at Hunter Elementary in 1997. I had heard of Ms. Couch from my uncle and aunt when my 1st cousin was a student in her class at Hunter. During that time my cousin was a 1st grader struggling with reading when somehow Ms. Couch was called upon to intervene. I'll never forget how her parents boasted about the personal interest that Ms. Couch had taken in their daughter. Ms. Couch consistently worked to help her build on reading through her entire elementary schooling. My cousin is currently seventeen years of age and has been on the honor roll every reporting period since leaving Hunter. It is because of this type of divine intervention that she will become something that may surprise us all.

Ms. Couch is very creative in helping children to access their ability to excel personally, at school and/or at home. She often scarifies her personal time and finances to help a child in need whether it is buying personalized school supplies (flashcards), a favorite book to encourage reading, a prize to reward an excelling student or discreetly providing Christmas gifts and dinner for a student less fortunate.

Upon my daughter enrolling at Hunter, Ms. Couch bestowed the same sincerity and generosity upon her. She has a personal and genuine rapport with her students and for the most part their families. My daughter will complete 8th grade this year and I can attest to the fact that even though we have had some pretty great teachers thus far Ms. Couch's kind doesn't come along everyday. As the ole saying go, "After God made her, he broke the mold."

I have not seen or heard from Ms. Couch since my daughter left for middle school in 2005, however I am still hearing about all the greatness that she continues to bestow on our children. I would give anything to let her know the impact that she has made and to let her know just how very much I appreciate her life's mission to leave no child behind. She will never be forgotten and I am hoping to have her as a guest of honor at my daughter's sweet sixteen celebration 2009 as one of the most influential person(s) in my daughter life. Kudos to Ms. Couch!!!!