Greenstein Prescott was a high school senior. Her English teacher, Fred DiMeo, gave her an assignment: 1 a poem in front of the whole class.
Greenstein had a mild stutter(口吃). The 2 of getting up in front of her classmates and stuttering through the poem was too much to 3 . Greenstein went home and 4 how scared she was. Her mom agreed to write a note asking for her to be 5 from doing the assignment.
When the day finally came, Greenstein recited the poem one-on-one to DiMeo. Once she was 6 , DiMeo said something Greenstein'd never heard before: He liked listening to her 7 . For the first time, Greenstein considered the possibility that public speaking didn't have to be a 8 of fear. "I think it was so 9 in his mind and I should have nothing to be 10 of," Greenstein said.
Greenstein went on to graduate from high school and go to college. She never got to 11 thank DiMeo. But after college, she landed a job as a corporate trainer. The new 12 made her realize how big an impact DiMeo had had on her 13 .
"He truly is an unsung 14 because he played a big role in my successful career. I don't know where I would have been if I was fearful of 15 myself. I'd like to give him my thanks for that kindness," Greenstein said.