# 15

15 was across the hall from me the year before I had him. He was good friends with two boys from my class who always got very excited when they saw him or his older brother. I was excited to get him because he seemed like a nice kid. "Nice kid" is the understatement of the school year. He was like the dream child. He was the most polite child I have probably ever met. He would greet me and any other adults in the room by name each morning, and say goodbye every single day on his way out to be picked up by his mother. He always did his work and had the most beautiful handwriting you have ever seen. Sometimes I felt guilty correcting his work because it felt like I was scribbling all over a work of art. He was the first to become friends with #9, playing basketball with her on the hard top at recess. When rearranging seats, I knew I could put him next to anyone and he would be a good influence on them and set the tone of hard work and serenity. These qualities made it so easy and comforting to be around him and the other kids seemed to feel that way as well. I will miss having such a kind, reliable kid around every day.