BRADENTON, FLA — This week’s A+ Teacher is Ariana Morales. She was a student in the Manatee County School District, then interned at Samoset Elementary and became a 1st grade teacher there.

“I kind of wanted to do something else after graduating,” said Morales. “But it was after building a connection with these kids and seeing that spark in their eyes, I was like I just have to stay and I want to build that relationship with them.”

Miss Morales builds relationships with her students and says she’s happy to help them learn in the classroom and thrive outside school.

“If they need extra supplies or they need a backpack, I am willing to help them to make sure they want to be at school, so they feel comfortable and they want to be here,” said Morales. “We’re a family, so I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they’re here.”

She also said that she hopes they know they can do whatever they put their minds to and that she just wants to continue building their confidence and see them grow.