Ms. Melissa Farrell

Ms Farrell helps Dominic Burke on the computer.

Ms Farrell helps Dominic Burke on the computer.

Ms. Melissa Farrell wakes up early in the morning, gets herself ready, wakes up her 15 year old daughter, Quinn Farrell, and then drives both of them to Southmoreland High School. Farrell teaches the learning impaired high school students at SHS. After school, Farrell goes home to prepare dinner for her three daughters. In the evening, she drives her two youngest daughters, Rory and Quinn, everywhere they need to go. One of the places she is frequently taking them is to Dance Dynamics, their dance studio where Farrell works after work on Mondays and Wednesdays. Afterwards, she returns home to fix whatever needs fixing. She also prepares dinner for her three daughters. That is just a normal day in the life of Missy Farrell. Farrell is not only an educator, but also a single mother, gymnastics coach, and her own handyman.

“If I could have any of my mom’s traits,” said Farrell’s oldest daughter Zoe, “I’d want her work ethic, sense of humor, and determination.”

All of Farrell’s daughters as well as her gymnastics students look up to her. In her youth, Farrell was just like them, and looked up to her coach, who was always very inspirational. Farrell tries to provide her students with that same inspiration and motivation. She motivates them by always telling them that they can do it even when they have themselves convinced that they can’t. One of her students from Dance Dynamics, Samantha Lauffer, even said that she wouldn’t be the person she is today without Farrell.

“Not only is she a teacher at Southmoreland,” explained Lauffer, “she’s also my gymnastics teacher and has helped me succeed in those skills. She’s also like a second mother to me since I have been dancing with Quinn for so long.”

Farrell is constantly pushing her students at both dance and school. One of her favorite things about both of her jobs is seeing them achieve something they didn’t think they could do. Farrell also lets them know that winning isn’t everything as long as they try their best and never give up. Valuable lessons like this are something Farrell is extremely good at teaching. Her daughters and a lot of her students said she was a good advice giver and a great role model.

“I’m a firm believer of having to be the example,” said Farrell, “If you want them to be honest and tell the truth, you can’t lie to them.”

This is Farrell’s philosophy whether she’s at school, gymnastics, or home.

Keera Frye

I'm a senior at Southmoreland and an editor. I participate in many extra curricular activities and enjoy telling people's stories.
Keera Frye
About Keera Frye
I'm a senior at Southmoreland and an editor. I participate in many extra curricular activities and enjoy telling people's stories.

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