My name is Erika Bell, and I am an ESL teacher at Saks Elementary School. In addition to serving the English learners at Saks, I also serve ELs attending Weaver Elementary and Weaver High, both of which are also Calhoun County schools. I am excited to be in my second year of teaching and my fifth year of service in education. I am passionate about language and about learning, qualities that led me to earn my Master's in English as a Second Language (K-12) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I consider myself to be a lifelong learner and believe this to be one of the most important qualities that we as teachers must exemplify for our students. Every day is an opportunity to learn and to grow, both personally and professionally. We must not waste these opportunities by being satisfied with the status quo, but rather actively seek to lead, learn, and innovate.