Four years ago, she was sitting in a desk, watching her mentor teach the new generation the art of writing. Now she is in his place.

During that short time, English teacher Ashley Sharp has risen to the top of her department that has culminated with her choice as the department’s teacher of the year nominee. One of the reasons her department nominated her was her love for teaching and her desire to help students improve and become as good as they can.

“All students can be successful if they try,” Sharp said. “Their successes are just seen in different ways.”

Sharp has been teaching at Denton High School for four years now, right next to the room she watched her mentor, Chris Puente, teach.

“I like to know I have the effect on students that he had when I watched him,” Sharp said. “I like to have that impact on the students.”

One student who enjoyed her class quite a lot was Junior Jared Ramirez.

“I really enjoyed the atmosphere while she was teaching,” Ramirez said. “She really connected with the students and made herself feel more like one of the students than a teacher, but she still taught and prepared us very well.”

Sharp likes being able to know that she has impacted the future and that she was part of making it what it will be.

“I like teaching because it allows me to experience new ideas, new thoughts each year,” Sharp said. “I just like knowing I gave them a better chance at doing something useful and meaningful with their lives.”