The Waco Independent School District will host a ceremony to recognize 25 educators as the 2018-2019 Outstanding Teacher of the Year.
There is one teacher selected from each campus honoring their hard work and dedication.
Ashley Bridgewater, Waco High School's AVID teacher, is one of the 25 winners and explains what it means to her.
"I have to remind my students that I'm going to give you 100 percent all day every day," Bridgewater said.
Giving more than 100 percent, she even changed schools to continue watching them grow.
"My eighth graders were moving over to high school and we've been together ever since," Bridgewater said. "My first group of students they graduate this year."
Bridgewater graduated from Waco High School herself and feels "good to be back home." She brings that same feeling to her students each day.
Bridgewater worked at Carver Middle School as an English teacher before making the decision to move to Waco High School. She is now the AVID teacher which is a program to help students get ready for college.
"She's so loving and like, I can talk to her about anything," Daja Davis, 11th grader said. "It's like walking to see your mama's house. It's like a second mom, a mom here on campus which is like the best feeling ever."
Davis has known Bridgewater for four years and at first, the love wasn't there.
"I had my little you know bossy attitude and at first we bumped heads a lot," Davis said. "Coach Bridgewater comes with a lot of knowledge like she'll teach you like a lot of stuff if you just listen to her."
Bridgewater believes that being able to make an impact on the students' lives is all she can ask for.
"To mold and to push them and to draw out their full potential," Bridgewater said. "Becoming citizens of the world, productive citizens of the world its a blessing."
Davis is excited to go to school each day knowing Bridgewater is there to greet her.
"Her door and her arms are always open," Davis said.
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