·Anonymous·

Steve ， a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents ， was about to be lost forever by the U.S. education system. Remarkably ， he could read ， yet ， in spite of his reading skills ， Steve was failing. He had been failing since first grade ， as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy ， looking more like a teenager than a twelve-year-old ， yet ， Steve went unnoticed...until Miss White.

Miss White was a smiling ， young ， beautiful redhead ， and Steve was in love! For the first time in his young life ， he couldn ^’ t take his eyes off his teacher ； yet ， still he failed. He never did his homework ， and he was always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break under her sharp words ， and when he was punished for failing to turn in his homework ， he felt just miserable! Still ， he did not study.

In the middle of the first semester of school ， the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests ， and continued to dream of other things as the day wore on. His heart was not in school ， but in the woods ， where he often escaped alone ， trying to shut out the sights ， sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. No one checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew he was gone ， because no one was sober enough to care. Oddly ， Steve never missed a day of school.

One day ， Miss White ^’ s impatient voice broke into his daydreams.

^“ Steve! ^” Startled ， he turned to look at her.

^“ Pay attention! ^”

Steve locked his gaze on Miss White with adolescent adoration ， as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade.

^“ You all did pretty well ，” she told the class ，“ except for one boy ， and it breaks my heart to tell you this ， but... ^” She hesitated ， pinning Steve to his seat with a sharp stare ， her eyes searching his face.

^“ The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class! ^”

She just stared at Steve ， as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.

After that ， it was war! Steve still wouldn ^’ t do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe ， he remained stubborn.

^“ Just try it! ONE WEEK! ^” He was unmoved.

^“ You ^’ re smart enough! You ^’ ll see a change! ^” Nothing fazed him.

^“ Give yourself a chance! Don ^’ t give up on your life! ^” Nothing.

^“ Steve! Please! I care about you! ^”

Wow! Suddenly ， Steve got it!! Someone cared about him? Someone ， totally unattainable and perfect ， CARED ABOUT HIM?!

Steve went home from school ， thoughtful ， that afternoon. Walking into the house ， he took one look around. Both parents were passed out ， in various stages of undress ， and the stench was overpowering! He ， quickly ， gathered up his camping gear ， a jar of peanut butter ， a loaf of bread ， a bottle of water ， and this time...his schoolbooks. Grim faced and determined ， he headed for the woods.

The following Monday he arrived at school on time ， and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in ， all sparkle and smiles! God ， she was beautiful! He yearned for her smile to turn on him. It did not.

Miss White ， immediately ， gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test ， and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise ， Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled ， she began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk ， his heart pounding within his chest. As he sat down ， he couldn ’ t resist another look at the lovely woman.

Miss White ^’ s face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve ， then down ， then up. Suddenly ， her face broke into a radiant smile. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!

From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same ， but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn ， but he was good at it! He discovered that he could understand and retain knowledge ， and that he could translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to excel! And he continued this course throughout his school life.

After high-school Steve enlisted in the Navy ， and he had a successful military career. During that time ， he met the love of his life ， he raised a family ， and he graduated from college Magna Cum Laude. During his Naval career ， he inspired many young people ， who without him ， might not have believed in themselves. Steve began a second career after the Navy ， and he continues to inspire others ， as an adjunct professor in a nearby college.

Miss White left a great legacy . She saved one boy who has changed many lives. I know ， because I am the love of his life.

You see ， it ^’ s simple ， really. A change took place within the heart of one boy ， all because of one teacher ， who cared.

逸 名

史蒂夫是一个 12 岁的小男孩 ， 父母嗜酒成性 ， 他面临着辍学的危险 。 诚然 ， 他识字 ， 只是学习成绩不尽如人意 。 从一年级到现在 ， 年年如此 。 史蒂夫个子高大 ， 看上去似乎比同龄的孩子要大得多 ， 可他一直都被人忽视 ， 直到怀特小姐的出现 。

怀特小姐总是面带笑容 ， 她年轻 ， 还有一头亮丽的红头发 。 史蒂夫就喜欢她这种类型的 。 生平第一次 ， 他无法将视线从老师身上移开 ， 可是他的成绩还是不及格 。 他从不写作业 ， 总是给怀特小姐添麻烦 。 她刻薄的言辞让他心碎 ， 每当因没有完成作业而受罚时 ， 他都非常痛苦 ， 但他还是不学习 。

第一学期期中 ， 整个七年级都要进行基础技能测验 。 史蒂夫草草地将测验应付完 ， 便继续幻想其他的事 ， 时间就这样过去了 。 他的心根本不在学校 ， 而是在树林中 。 他经常独自躲藏在那里 ， 以期避开酒鬼之家的场景 、 吵闹声和令人作呕的气味 。 所有的人都无暇顾及他 ， 没有人关心他是否安全 ， 也没人清楚地知道他已经离开 。 奇怪的是 ， 即便如此 ， 史蒂夫却从没旷过一天课 。

一天 ， 怀特小姐不耐烦的声音把他从白日梦中惊醒了 。

^“ 史蒂夫 ！” 他震惊地转过头看着她 。

^“ 不要开小差 ！”

怀特小姐公布七年级的测验结果时 ， 史蒂夫用青春期男孩特有的那种爱慕的眼光盯着她 。

^“ 你们都考得不错 ，” 她对学生们说 ，“ 除了一个男生 。 这令我很伤心 ， 但是 ……” 她犹豫了 ， 犀利的目光锁定在史蒂夫身上 ， 打量着他的脸 。

^“ 我们七年级最聪明的学生 ， 竟然没及格 ！”

她紧盯着史蒂夫 ， 全班同学都转过头看着他 。 史蒂夫羞愧地低着头 ， 盯着指尖 。

此后 ，“ 战争 ^” 仍在继续 ！ 史蒂夫还是不愿写作业 。 即便惩罚再严厉 ， 他也依然我行我素 。

^“ 努力试一下 ！ 坚持一周也好啊 ！” 可他就是无动于衷 。

^“ 你很聪明 ！ 如果你努力 ， 一定会有可喜的变化 ！” 没有什么话语可以打动他 。

^“ 给自己一个机会 ！ 不要轻言放弃 。” 仍无济于事 。

^“ 史蒂夫 ， 求你了 ， 我那么关心你 ！”

哦 ！ 史蒂夫突然恍然大悟 ！ 真的有人关心他 ？ 简直不可思议 ， 竟然有人关心他 ？！

那天下午 ， 史蒂夫满腹思绪地回家了 。 进了家门 ， 他扫视了一下屋内 ， 看到父母裸露着身子睡着了 。 屋内臭气熏天 ， 简直让人无法忍受 。 他快速找齐 ^“ 露营 ^” 装备 ： 一瓶花生酱 、 一块面包 、 一瓶水 ， 这次他还把课本带上了 。 他坚定地走向了树林 。

紧接着的那个周一早上 ， 他按时来到学校 ， 期待着怀特小姐步入教室 。 她面带微笑 、 神采飞扬地走进来了 。 天哪 ！ 她真是太美了 ！ 他希望看到她对他微笑 ， 但她没有 。

怀特小姐突然决定测试周末的家庭作业 。 史蒂夫很快就做完了 ， 并第一个递交了答卷 。 怀特小姐满脸惊奇地接过他的卷子 ， 她开始批阅试卷时的疑惑溢于言表 。 史蒂夫回到座位上 ， 心怦怦地狂跳不止 。 坐下之后 ， 他情不自禁地又瞄了一眼这位漂亮的女子 。

怀特小姐脸上满是震惊的神情 ， 她瞟了一眼史蒂夫 ， 又低下头去 ， 然后再次抬起头来 。 突然 ， 她脸上绽放出灿烂的笑容 。 七年级最聪明的男孩终于首次通过了测试 。

从那时起 ， 史蒂夫就好像换了个人 。 虽然家庭生活依旧 ， 但他的生活确实发生了变化 。 他发觉自己不仅能学习 ， 而且还能学得很好 ！ 他发现自己能理解并牢记所学的知识 ， 并能学以致用 。 史蒂夫开始变得优秀了 ， 而且他在整个求学生涯中 ， 一直都保持着优秀 。

高中毕业后 ， 史蒂夫应征加入了海军 ， 他的军旅生涯也很成功 。 其间 ， 他结识了他的爱人 ， 组建了家庭 ， 并从 Magna Cum Laude 大学毕业 。 他在海军服役期间 ， 曾鼓励过许多年轻人 。 假如没有他 ， 这些人或许不可能建立自信 。 从海军退役后 ， 史蒂夫开始了他的第二份工作 —— 在附近的一所大学担任助理教授 ， 继续鼓舞他人 。

怀特小姐留下了一份宝贵遗产 ， 她挽救了一个男孩 ， 这个男孩使许多人的生命发生了变化 。 我对这一切都很了解 ， 因为我就是他的爱人 。

你看 ， 事情就这么简单 。 一个男孩的内心世界 ， 只因一个老师的关心 ， 就发生了如此大的变化 。

实战